Saturday September 30, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3322

ryder crap

Well, here's the silver lining on this year's U.S. performance at the Ryder Cup in Rome.

I hear the espresso in the team hotel is to die for.

That might be the only positive to take home once Sunday evening arrives and the drubbing is official.

Max Homa and Brian Harman aside, it's pretty much been a disaster of a day and a half for Zach Johnson's team. After losing 4-0 in the morning foursomes yesterday, the U.S. could only muster 3 ties in the afternoon fourball matches. It was 6.5 - 1.5 in favor of Europe after day one.

"All the Americans need are 4.5 or 5 points on Satuday and they're right back in this," Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee explained on Friday evening.

We'll through 3 events, the Americans don't have 4.5 points TOTAL.

They lost this morning's alternate shot events 3-1, meaning the U.S. side trailed 9.5-2.5 heading into the afternoon fourball competition.

It's not over.

But the limousine carrying the fat lady just left her house and is bringing her to the golf course.

That's code word for: It's over.

Another road defeat for the Americans in the Ryder Cup.

But this one, I suspect, is going to be treated much differently than just another road loss for the U.S. on European soil. This butt-kicking, I believe, is going to generate some discussion and changes in the way the U.S. approaches these matches.

Now, first and foremost, it's important to note that the European side has played extraordinarily good golf so far. Suggesting that the lopsided score is a result of poor American decision making and play would be doing the hosts a disservice. They've played great golf.

The Americans haven't just been run out of the gym, though. They've stunk up the place. In spots, they've received decent play from Scottie Scheffler, Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas, Max Homa, Brian Harman and Wyndham Clark, with Thomas and Homa probably leading the way for "Team MVP" if that's even possible when you lose 18-10 or whatever the final score will be.

But every guy on the team has had a moment where his own poor play contributed to the loss of a hole and a match. No one has been themselves over there, that's for sure.

A virus of some kind has run through the team, says Zach Johnson. It's effectively forced Rickie Fowler out of the competition, as he hasn't played since Friday morning's alternate shot event. Xander Schauffele apparently also has it "bad" but tried to play through it before sitting out today's better ball afternoon competition.

Don't let the sounds of sniffles, coughs and hoarse voices fool you, friends. A "cold" running through the team has nothing at all to do with this throttling the U.S. is taking. They're getting hammered because their golf isn't good enough and the strategical decisions made by Johnson and his team of advisors has been puzzling, at best.

We'll delve deeper into it on Sunday once the dust settles on the total two-day score (the U.S. is actually winning 3 of 4 matches as I write this at 7:00 am), but Johnson is on the hook for being the worst U.S. captain since Hal Sutton's decable back in 2004.

Johnson didn't force bad pairings on his players the way Sutton tried to do with Tiger and Phil. Instead, Johnson simply went about attacking the first day completely the wrong way. And his misplaced faith in guys like Jordan Spieth and Collin Morikawa, while not the reason is going to lose, certainly connects with the thought process he used in handing out playing time to some of his picks.

But there's much more to this U.S. loss than Spieth and Morikawa.

The American side went over to Marco Simone for a 3-day practice session in early September and three of the twelve players didn't go over.

How is that even allowed?

"Hey, Xander, you know, we haven't won in 30 years on foreign soil and we're thinking it might be a good idea to get a few extra days of practice in to learn the course. No fans will be there or anything and we can really sink into the golf course and learn a lot more about it and how we're going to play it in the Ryder Cup."

"Yeah, that sounds great, but I can't make it."

Can't make it.

Schauffele, like his teammates, has been chewed up and spit out over there this week. Extra practice might've helped ya, son.

There's something else about the Ryder Cup that is very evident when you watch the actual play and "teamwork" of the two teams.

The European players seem to have an energy between them that isn't artificial. They create their own environment with their outstanding play and the energy they build from that permeates into the crowd, who then give them even more of a lift.

The only energy the American players get is when they do something decent on the greens and then react to that by playing to the partisan crowd.

Justin Thomas is a prime example of this. Thomas can only play great golf once he's engaged with the European crowd and is doing the back-and-forth that comes with heckling, whistling, etc. J.T. doesn't create his own energy. If the crowd doesn't create it for him, he's done.

It's a small thing, perhaps, but I think it's paramount when I watch the matches. The European players make their own energy. The American players need energy pumped into them. That's how I see it, at least.

There's also something to be said about the course and the familiarity with it on the European side.

They play most of their Ryder Cups at home on courses their players routinely play in European Tour events. The Americans almost never play a Ryder Cup at a course that the PGA Tour uses for "regular" season play.

The U.S. plays places like Torrey Pines, Pebble Beach, Muirfield Village, PGA National and Quail Hollow every year. The latter three of those have hosted Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup events in the past. Why not play a future Ryder Cup on one of those five courses, where our players are far more familiar with it than are the Europeans?

Sure, some members of the European team play those courses too as members of the PGA Tour, but some of their guys don't, either. And if nothing else, at least it's helping to square up the playing field. The American record at home of late has been good, of course, but this European team isn't going to get any worse in 2025. They're in it for the long haul, with guys like Hovland, Hojgaard, Aberg, Straka and McIntyre likely part of numerous other teams in the future.

There's a lot to unpack from this fiasco over there.

The process by which Johnson selected his captain's picks is going to be scrutinized, for sure. The system the Americans use for handing out guaranteed spots is also going to be carefully analyzed.

In the end, our golf was lousy and their golf was great.

Barring a miracle, the Europeans are going to collect 5 more points and reach 14.5 sometime early in Sunday's singles matches. There's no telling what the final score will be, but it's not going to be a nailbiter, apparently.

If the Americans can win today's afternoon fourball session 4-0 or 3-1, we have a little bit of hope, I guess. But that's asking a lot for a team that has 2.5 points out of 12 thus far.

Friday September 29, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3321

signed and sealed

I should have waited a day for the "I told you so" column here.

I could have killed two birds with one stone.

Back on June 7, I told you here at #DMD that the O's were going to win the A.L. East.

Last night, they did just that, with a 2-0 win over the Red Sox in Baltimore.

And for the better part of a year now, as the Orioles tried to bully their way into a better long-term lease agreement with the State of Maryland, I told you the team was never leaving Baltimore.

Well, I told you so...again.

Last night, during the game at Camden Yards, the O's and the State of Maryland announced the completion of a new 30-year lease.

Someone call Nashville and tell them to, I don't know, maybe build a museum or something.

The nuts and bolts of the lease were actually completed well over a year ago with then Governor Larry Hogan and Tom Kelso of the Stadium Authority, but in true Orioles fashion, they couldn't even land that plane the right way, instead caving in to private pressure from Wes Moore, who wanted the new lease signed during his term instead of the final days of Hogan's tenure as Governor of Maryland.

Politics, man. It ain't for the meek of heart.

Yesterday, though, it all came out in the wash, as the lease agreement was signed and baseball fans of Baltimore and Maryland could breathe a sigh of relief.

The Orioles aren't going anywhere.

Now, if we can just get the next matter of business ironed out: Getting new owners for the franchise.

An A.L. East title and who knows what else over the next five weeks?

A 30-year stadium lease.

And new owners.

Wouldn't that be quite the proverbial Baltimore sports hat trick?

On the field, the O's can now start to plot their post-season moves with the division title and best record in the American League all sewed up. They can use the last three games to get some nicked up guys a few days of rest and, perhaps, to even give Felix Bautista the chance to throw to a batter or two and test his healing right arm.

Game 1 of the ALDS in Baltimore is set for Saturday, October 7. With the Billy Joel/Stevie Nicks concert at the football stadium slated for Saturday night, it's likely the Birds will play at 1:00 pm or so on the 7th.

Their playoff opponent is still to be determined, obviously, pending the result of the Wild Card series.

It almost feels like we're having an out of body experience here in Charm City, talking about winning division titles, resting players for the "second" round of post-season action and celebrating a new 30-year lease because the ownership group finally did the right thing and stopped torturing the fan base with idle threats of moving the team to Nashville.

Next up: the agony of re-signing Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman and the team's other top young stars.

Here's hoping there's a new owner in town in the next couple of years who understands the value of paying players what they're worth and keeping them in Baltimore instead of letting them sign with the Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox, Cubs, Angels, etc.

The Ryder Cup got off to a rousing start overnight as the matches kicked off at Marco Simone in Rome, Italy. Viktor Hovland of the European side chipped in for birdie on the very first hole of his alternate shot match Max Homa and Brian Harman and the hosts started off the morning session with a shocking 4-0 thumping of the Americans.

The U.S. hasn't won on foreign soil since 1993. They're already in trouble in 2023.

The American foursomes lineup was a bit puzzling, as captain Zach Johnson sat out Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, three of his squad's most experienced "team event" performers. U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark also sat out in the alternate shot morning matches.

Instead, Johnson played Ryder Cup rookies Sam Burns, Max Homa and Brian Harman.

Burns teamed up with Scottie Scheffler and hardly hit a decent shot in their 15 holes together. His lousy play earned him a spot on the bench in the afternoon fourball while Scheffler went back out with Brooks Koepka.

Homa and Harman were thoroughly outclassed by Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg. Homa hit a number of loose tee shots and Hovland's putter was more than cooperative. That combination led to a 4&3 Europe win and a seat on the bench for Harman in the afternoon. Homa went back out in the afternoon with Collin Morikawa.

Rickie Fowler and Morikawa were also outclassed by Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka. True to form, both Fowler and Morikawa were shaky with the putter. Lowry and Straka were 4 up on the front nine and were never threatened.

And while Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay weren't "horrible" against Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood, they lost on the 17th green when McIlroy hit his tee shot to three feet and Fleetwood converted the winning putt.

It was a dream start for the European side and an awful start for the Americans, but captain Johnson will have to answer questions about the peculiar nature of his foursomes lineup and the decision to leave out his three most experienced Cup performers in Spieth, Thomas and Koepka.

The Americans need at least a 2-2 split in the afternoon fourball matches or they're in trouble.

Credit should also be given to European captain Luke Donald and his team that helped think through the course set up. They've tightened the fairways to take advantage of the U.S. team's lack of fairway accuracy and they've slowed the greens down to a more "European speed" rather than the faster version found on American courses for major championships and Ryder Cups.

Both of those course novelties are perfect fits for the European squad and are making life miserable for the Americans.

faith in sports

Deion Sanders has been in the news recently. I'm sure you've heard.

While he was coaching at Jackson State, Sanders took part in a coaching convention where he was interviewed about the typical coaching elements; motivation, recruiting, etc.

"Prime" took the convention by surprise when he started praising Jesus as the best role model available to young athletes.

Check out the six minutes below to hear what Deion had to say about his life as a player, parent, coach and mentor. You'll be interested to hear what he says about today's youth.

Thanks, as always, to our friends at Freestate Electrical for their continued support of #DMD and "Faith in Sports" here every Friday.

Thursday September 28, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3320

"i told you so"

Even the most ardent #DMD detractors have to admit this one, today, is something I own the right to publish.

It's the "I told you so" edition of Drew's Morning Dish.

With last night's 5-1 Orioles win over the Nationals, the magic number for winning the American League East is now down to one game. The Birds finish the season with four games against the Red Sox in Baltimore. The Rays end their campaign with three games in Toronto.

It's over, folks.

Whether it happens tonight (the Rays are off), tomorrow, Saturday or Sunday, it's happening. The Orioles are going to win the 2023 American League East.

I told you so.

Way back on June 7, I posted it here at #DMD and aired it on Glenn Clark Radio as well: "The Orioles are going to win the American League East."

I predicted they'd win it by 5 games when the dust settled on October 1st. I have no idea if that will actually be the number come late Sunday afternoon, but I know this: The O's are winning the A.L. East.

Just like I said they would.

The O's are also going to finish the campaign with the best record in the American League, which means those of you who, like me, own tickets to Game 6 and Game 7 of the ALCS might be in store for some of the most exciting baseball we've seen in this city since 1983.

There's a lot of baseball to be played between now and Game 6 of the ALCS. The Birds will likely have to play either Tampa Bay, Houston or Toronto in the ALDS. Beggars can't be choosers, of course, and any of those three teams won't be walkovers for Brandon Hyde's team, but I'd personally like to see the O's play Toronto if I could choose one of those three to face.

In the ALDS, the O's would host Games 1, 2 and 5 (if necessary). In the ALCS, they'd host Games 1, 2, 6 and 7 (if necessary).

The last time the Birds won the A.L. East was 2014. They haven't been to the World Series since 1983.

We've been waiting a long, long time for nights like tonight, where the O's are just one win away from a celebration worth having.

Ain't the beer EXTRA cold?

ranking the ryder cup rosters

It all starts tomorrow.

The U.S. Ryder Cup team will be looking to break a 30-year road losing streak when the event begins in Rome, Italy.

The Americans are an interesting mix of big name players and guys you wouldn't have ever connected with the Ryder Cup, while the Europeans have a similar look about them. Age and LIV golf have created new blood for both teams.

How are the 24 players ranked? I'm glad you asked.

We'll rank them all here today and, at the end, give you our anticipated pairings and predicted final score for the event.

#24 - Bob McIntyre -- The least known and least dangerous player on either side.

#23 - Nicolai Hojgaard -- 22 year old who can hit it a long way off the tee.

#22 - Sam Burns -- Won the '23 PGA Tour Match Play title and then pretty much vanished.

#21 - Shane Lowry -- Missed the FedEx Cup playoffs after a down year on the PGA Tour.

#20 - Ludvig Aberg -- Was a smart pick, but still very inexperienced nonetheless.

#19 - Justin Rose -- Won at Pebble Beach back in February and has an excellent Cup record of 13-8-2.

#18 - Rickie Fowler -- Returned to the winner's circle this season but sputtered in the playoffs.

#17 - Sepp Straka -- Confident putter who can beat anyone if his driver cooperates.

#16 - Brian Harman -- Shocked the world with his British Open win and could be a bulldog in Rome.

#15 - Wyndham Clark -- Hope he hasn't motivated the Europeans with some of his public comments this week.

#14 - Justin Thomas -- The most controversial pick on either team, he will be critical to the U.S. chances.

#13 - Tyrrell Hatton -- A wild card of sorts, when he's on he's really on...when he's off, he's really off.

#12 - Matt Fitzpatrick -- Seems like the kind of guy who will quietly take center stage in Rome.

#11 - Jordan Spieth -- Will his putter behave? If so, he could be the difference.

#10 - Max Homa -- He's the American version of Hatton; when his game is "on" he's as good as anyone out there.

#9 - Collin Morikawa -- A good performance in Rome would polish up an otherwise lackluster 2023.

#8 - Tommy Fleetwood -- Don't be shocked if he's the European hero when it's all said and done.

#7 - Brooks Koepka -- Is one of the veteran anchors of the team now; let's see how he handles it.

#6 - Patrick Cantlay -- If he and Schauffele team up four times and don't lose, the U.S. wins.

#5 - Xander Schauffele -- It's all about his putting; if he rolls it well, points will follow.

#4 - Jon Rahm -- 2nd half of the PGA Tour season was a downer; Ryder Cup would be a nice bounce-back for him.

#3 - Scottie Scheffler -- The best ball striker in the world right now. Can he make the Ryder Cup part of his legacy?

#2 - Viktor Hovland -- An easy argument can be made that he's the best player in the world over the last two months.

#1 - Rory McIlroy -- The heat is on him in a big way to get the Ryder Cup back on European soil. This is a big week for him.

How #DMD sees it:

There are question marks on both sides. Each team has two players that are ill-fitting, seemingly: McIntyre and Aberg for Europe and Harman and Clark for the U.S.

Will any of those four turn out to be Cup stalwarts? If so, that could be the difference in winning and losing.

But, as always, the matches will be won or lost on the greens. The Americans have better ball strikers, the Europeans have better putters. Can the U.S. keep it close enough on Friday and Saturday to separate themselves in the Singles on Sunday? That's the big question.

Here's how we see it unfolding.

Friday morning foursomes (alternate shot): 2-2 tie

Friday afternoon better ball: U.S. wins 2.5-1.5

Saturday morning foursomes (alternate shot): 2-2 tie

Saturday afternoon better ball: Europe wins 3-1

Singles: Europe wins 6.5-5.5

Europe wins the Ryder Cup, 15-13.

In the end, the Americans will fall thanks to putting woes on the back nine from the likes of Fowler, Harman, Burns and Cantlay.

It's close all the way, but the European home winning streak continues.

I really hope I'm wrong.

6:37 pm -- Apologies to all. I forgot to include Paul's Thursday night pick here today. He is taking the Lions (-1.5) tonight in Green Bay.

	The Stats Nerd And His Numbers
Contributed by #DMD's data and numbers analyst The Stats Nerd

I have a buddy named Mike that is a Minnesota Vikings fan. Midwestern guy that grew up rooting for Fran Tarkenton, Chuck Foreman, the Purple People Eaters, etc. He stuck with them in the late 80’s when the Vikings traded 3 1sts and 3 2 round picks for Herschel Walker. Imagine that trade in 2023!

He thought they were going to do it with the Randy Moss teams in the late 90’s, including the 1998 team coordinated by none other than Brian Billick. Then he was convinced that they were finally on to something when Justin Jefferson emerged as a top 2 or 3 receiver in the league.

There are other comically painful occurrences that have happened along the way but, frankly, just too many to relay. Alas, none of these teams led the “other” purple fan base into the promised land of a Super Bowl victory.

Mike loves his Vikings, no one can doubt him on that. But there is one thing Mike is not…a rational fan. Last year was a perfect example of his irrationality and something that illustrates an interesting analytical point of Mean Reversion.

You see, last year the Vikings were an incredible 11-0 in one score games. And some of the wins they pulled out, particularly late in the year against Buffalo and Indianapolis were laughable in the perfection needed to remain unbeaten in these close contests. Oddly, in 3 of the 4 regular season games they lost they were crushed by 17+ points.

I kept warning him that at some point these results would revert to some sort of normalcy. Sure, if they were a better team we might expect them to be, say, 7-4 or 6-5 in one score games. But not a perfect 11-0.

The league is set up to encourage close games. As Drew often opines, the opposition are also professional athletes and “the other team tries too”. And with late game garbage yards and scores a 10 point lead can quickly become a 3 point win for example. In other words, it “looks” closer than it actually was. We all know how that works.

But over time and a larger sample size, close game records tend to break equally for all teams. In other words, a team’s record over time should start to converge closer and closer to .500 in these close games. Call them coin-flip games.

Odd things happen, strange bounces occur, referee calls (or lack of calls) have an outsized impact on game results, fluke or unexpected plays that are 1/100 type happenings show up. So over a small sample size these lucky plays can break primarily in one direction. But over time and a larger sample size those breaks start to occur equally for and against a particular team.

Sunday’s Raven’s game is a good example. Basically a series of unlikely events had to occur one after another for the Ravens to lose that game. Starting from the Colts safety with a bit over 2 minutes left to play in regulation, essentially every “break” or bonehead decision cost the Ravens win probability. Any one of these errors may not have sunk the game but in aggregate the errors slowly but surely chipped away at the Raven’s grip on the game.

If the Ravens are in that exact spot after the Indianapolis safety, they probably win that game 90 times out of 100. In fact, the Win Probability Percentage was over 96% at that moment.

Now none of this is to say that the Ravens didn’t help the Colts by their errors. Bad teams will do this more frequently than good teams of course. But some of the stuff we heard people complaining about on the radio were not of their doing: the face mask, the defensive pass interference no call,etc while others were of their doing: namely the 3rd down drop by Likely.

At some point this year, I suspect a team will have a series of unfortunate plays and poor execution that will benefit the Ravens. That’s just likely to happen and will happen throughout the league. The teams just aren’t THAT far apart from a talent perspective save for a few teams on the top and bottom of the league.

Those little oddities and lucky bounces and 1 in a 100 plays will happen and will determine games. Each of those occurrences carry with them valuable Win Probability Percentages. And the team that gathers the most of those WP% points will win the game.

But back to Mike, my grizzled and battered Vikings fan friend. He, as fan’s often do, dismissed the “good variance” as them just being a better team. Good teams find a way to win, good teams create good luck, etc. These were the types of things he kept telling me.

Nevermind that Josh Allen fumbled a snap on the Bills one yard line. Or that the Vikings scored 22 unanswered basically in the 4th Q against New Orleans JUST TO GET INTO OVERTIME and win on a kick with 30 seconds left. Or a 10 point comeback in DC in the 4th Quarter.

They just kept winning games that were, in some cases, coin flips AT BEST and HUGE underdog wins at worst. That was simply not sustainable I reminded Mike a few times over lunch in Towson. At some point those coin flips flip the other way. He would hear none of it.

Well including their 1 and done playoff participation last season the Vikings are 0-4 in all games, all of which happened to have been 1 score games. As the kids say, “life comes at you fast”.

There is the quiet drumbeat starting to tank the season and get in the Caleb Williams sweepstakes. More than one talking head has suggested they trade their QB Kirk Cousins to the NY Jets. I’ve even heard the unthinkable suggested: trade Justin Jefferson for a boatload of picks and really do a massive rebuild. I suspect if they lose this weekend to Carolina the chatter will get louder and louder.

I have not yet seen or spoken with Mike this season. I’d imagine he is not having fun on Sundays at least through September.

My point here is that fans often overlook good variance as the result of good play and to be expected. But one team’s good variance is the other team’s bad variance. And oftentimes it can come in waves. Sometimes it’s hard to see some of these things as variance in the moment.

Not every game is decided by luck or variance. Not by a long shot. In most cases, the better team will win as the variance will be more or less evenly distributed. But not always. Fans and analysts don’t like to admit the existence of this reality. But it is a fact that should be looked at objectively when analyzing a team’s results, particularly over a small sample size.

Wednesday September 27, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3319

"are you named after brooks robinson?"

There's no way to substantiate this, of course, but if you're anywhere between the ages of, say, 15 and 50, and you're from Baltimore, and your name is Brooks -- it's very likely you were named after Brooks Robinson.

I personally know four people named Brooks who were born and raised in Baltimore. Their ages are 15, 28, 33 and 35.

All four of them were named after the former Orioles third baseman.

As a human being, I'm not sure there's any greater honor than someone naming their child after you, in your memory, or "because" of you.

Brooks Robinson had that kind of impact on Baltimore.

I'll leave all of the outstanding baseball stories to others. We all know how great he was at third base. There's nothing I can write here today that further cements his legacy in Charm City. If you create a "Mount Rushmore" of Baltimore sports in 2023 and Brooks Robinson isn't on it, your Mount Rushmore is, in a word, wrong.

They say Brooks was Mr. Oriole. I'd go a step further. He was Mr. Baltimore Sports.

No one did baseball and humanity the way Brooks did.

I played with him once in a charity golf outing at Turf Valley. It was a scramble event, the kind he probably played in a dozen times or more every summer.

Toni Linhart, ex-Colts kicker, was also in our group.

We missed a green on one of the par 3's and had a delicate chip over a bunker to a front left flag. Our fourth (just a regular guy like me) in the group tried to get the ball over the trap and onto the putting surface. He failed badly.

Linhart, who loved golf, was confounded by the shot and half-bladed it over the bunker, missing the green entirely.

Brooks, at that point just a ceremonial golfer more than anything else, didn't do much better. He chunked the shot miserably into the trap.

"Up to you, my friend," he said to me as I stared down the shot.

I opened up my lob wedge and, aided by the fact you can present yourself with a favorable lie in charity scramble events, hit the most perfect flop shot one could hit. The ball hit gently on the fringe and rolled out to within a foot of the hole.

"I wish I had soft hands like that!" Brooks said, as Linhart and the fourth guy in our group both laughed.

"Uh, Brooks...your hands were way better than mine, I can tell you that for sure!" I replied.

Brooks Robinson citing me for having "soft hands" still goes down as one of the most memorable things anyone's ever said to me, playful or not.

It would be like you singing karoake and Robert Plant approaching you after the song ends, saying, "You have a wonderful voice."

Brooks Robinson was a gem of a human being. And that's not just me saying that. Everyone says that.

It's not like I'm writing that this morning and you're reading it saying, "Yeah, really? I bumped into him once at Sunny's Surplus and he was a Grade-A jerk to me." He was a gem of a human being to everyone he met.

That was his parting gift to Baltimore.

He was kind. Always. I probably encountered Brooks Robinson 20 times in my life. Never once was he anything but a gem.

May God grant him eternal peace and as many grounders as he wants to field.

---

My friend Kevin Fruman from National Lumber sent me a wonderful note last night after the O's beat the Nationals, 1-0, to reduce their magic number to two in the A.L. East.

Brooks Robinson holds the record for most games (10) in which he drove in the only run in a 1-0 victory.

And then, of course, the Orioles went out and did just that last night.

So God is a baseball fan, too, huh?

What other explanation could there be?

Kyle Bradish was again spectacular for the Birds, pitching eight scoreless innings, while Yennier Cano looked like Felix Bautista by striking out the side in the top of the 9th to help the O's record their 98th win of the season.

They have four games remaining to get to that elusive and impressive 100-win mark.

Oh, and by the way, every time the O's have won MORE than 100 regular season games they've gone to the World Series. I'm just reminding you of that stat in the event the Birds can go 101-61 or 102-60.

Data is on their side, in other words.

And speaking of Bautista, it seems all but a done deal now that he's going to pitch again at some point in the 2023 campaign.

Bautista had a 20-minute "live throwing session" yesterday afternoon at Camden Yards, where he threw both fastballs and breaking balls at close to top speed. While he might not have hit 100 mph on the radar gun, his velocity and movement were both "up there" as Brandon Hyde said afterwards.

The good news for the O's is they have another 10 days to get Bautista ready for the post-season.

After they clinch the AL East, the Birds will be off until Saturday, October 7, when the American League Divisional Series will open in Baltimore.

There's no telling what is happening with Bautista's damaged UCL in his right arm. Maybe he has five innings left in him before it completely ruptures. If so, those could be five successful "closing opportunities" that are the difference between the Orioles advancing in the post-season and/or winning the World Series.

And if he blows out his UCL in, say, the 3rd game of the ALCS, what's the difference between him getting Tommy John surgery back on September 25 or getting it on October 20? He still misses all of 2024 no matter the date.

A healthy and available Bautista gives the O's a significant chance of advancing to the World Series.

The O's could win the AL East as early as tonight if they beat D.C. and the Rays lose at Fenway. While that would be awesome, I think my personal preference would be to not back into the division title like that.

Maybe it's a long-standing grudge I have against those Boston fans that used to invade Camden Yards circa 2006 and revel in the Red Sox beating the Orioles 11-3 about eight times a year in Baltimore, but I'd prefer the O's and Rays both win tonight and then the Birds win the division title in front of the home faithful on Thursday night.

I'd like to have the Red Sox watch the celebration in Baltimore on Friday night.

Maybe that's mean of me. If so, I'll own it.

Tuesday September 26, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3318

the money does matter

A lot of people in town were very defensive on Monday.

I guess a home loss to the Colts will do that to you.

As I've said here a lot over the years, I've learned some valuable lessons in my four decades being involved in sports. And one of those things always rings true: Nothing good ever comes from losing.

John Harbaugh, Mark Andrews and Patrick Queen can all stand up there after Sunday's game and talk ad nauseum about "learning from this" and "getting better at handling these situations" but we all know the truth. There's no guarantee they're going to learn from it and it's almost a slam dunk that something like what we saw on Sunday will happen again in the future.

How many double digit leads have the Ravens squandered over the last five or six years?

If you're thinking 20-something, you're probably right.

Nothing good comes from losing.

So that might explain the various talk show comments I heard yesterday, both from hosts and callers alike. Everyone has a different account of what "really" happened.

"The refs killed us..."

"Lamar isn't the answer at quarterback..."

"We're never winning any games with 8 or 9 starters out with injuries..."

"Drake's fumble was the backbreaker..."

"If that Moon guy just falls on the fumble instead of trying to pick it up and run in for a touchdown, the whole game might have been different..."

"Flowers fair-catching that kick was the dumbest thing ever..."

And so on and so on.

Everyone had their own account of things.

But the one point I heard a half dozen times on Monday focused on Lamar's play and the $50 million paycheck he's collecting this season.

"Can't have a guy making $50 million playing like that..."

"Lamar's salary has nothing to do with it. He makes what he makes because he earned that contract..."

"We're never winning anything with him at quarterback. He's a great athlete. But he's not a great quarterback..."

"If the refs don't screw us, Lamar leads the team to the game-winning field goal in overtime and no one is saying a word about him..."

"Lamar cried about getting weapons to help him and they gave him OBJ, Agholor and Flowers. He cried about the offensive coordinator and they fired Roman and gave him Monken. When's everyone going to see Lamar is the issue?"

"His salary doesn't have anything to do with his play. People need to stop bringing that up."

Let's be clear on one thing: Lamar is the team. As he goes, the Ravens go, in the same way that Mahomes is the Chiefs and Burrow is the Bengals and Allen is the Bills.

How are the Jets doing without Aaron Rodgers?

So once we establish that Lamar is the Ravens, we then remember they gave him $50 million (plus) this past off-season because he is, in fact, the straw that stirs the drink.

The Ravens could have cashed out on Lamar and gone the same route of the Colts and Panthers. They could have drafted a rookie QB, saved the $50 million, and rebuilt their team using some of that money they saved on Lamar.

They elected to sign him to a long-term deal.

I understand why they did it and, much like I thought the Orioles were in no position to do anything but sign Chris Davis, I think the Ravens were in a spot where they had to sign Lamar. It was the right move.

But when you give a guy $50 million in a salary cap league, his play most certainly does matter as it relates to the impact of that deal and how it connects with the team's ability to improve its roster in the near future.

I don't think it makes sense to overreact to Sunday's los to Indianapolis. It happens. The league's crazy. Houston just went to Jacksonville and stomped the Jaguars. Minnesota doesn't have a win yet and they have the best wide receiver in the world on their team. Buffalo lost to the Jets three weeks ago and beat the Commanders in D.C. this past Sunday, 37-3.

Losses happen, even ones you thought you'd never lose.

And it's important to remember that we're 3 games into a 17-game season. There's a lot of football left. If you panic after 3 games, you're probably not the most intelligent fan there is.

But if the Ravens somehow fritter away the 2023 season and wind up with a 9-8 or 10-7 record, you can bet that a significant part of their decline will be traced back to the play of their quarterback.

Likewise, if they go 13-4 and or 12-5, Lamar will be a major reason why they posted that record and (presumably) won the AFC North.

It's a quarterback's league, which is why they make the most money.

And as a team, you can do one of two things. You can snag yourself an "elite" quarterback and pay him $50 million a year or you can try to win games in the NFL without a real quarterback on your side.

I like the "elite" angle, myself.

But he better play like an elite quarterback.

If he doesn't, it's a season-wrecker.

The term "the jury's still out" is used quite often in sports and it's almost always served with a negative connotation attached.

"The jury's still out on...the Orioles" people were saying in June when they were starting to look like the real deal in the A.L. East.

"The jury's still out on...Gunnar Henderson" people were saying in April when he was hitting .185 and looking overmatched at the plate.

Well, if we're being serious, the jury's still out on Lamar Jackson.

That doesn't mean he's a bad quarterback.

It certainly doesn't mean I "hate" him or think he stinks.

It means I have an opinion that he has still not proved himself to be a quarterback that can be counted on in January.

I hope we get to see him this January and he can work on proving that theory wrong.

At some point over the last 5 years or so, we've developed this weird thing in our country where no one is allowed to offer any kind of criticism without being labeled a "hater".

"Man, I wish Lamar would have hit that wide open receiver there."

"Why you always gotta point out when the guy makes a mistake? What's up with the hate?"

That's a typical in-game exchange on the internet.

I'd like to see Lamar and the Ravens win every game they play.

I realize that's impossible.

But I'm here for it.

In the meantime, though, it's up to Lamar to perform like a $50 million quarterback. You know, the way Patrick Mahomes performs in Kansas City 13 or 14 times a year.

It's not my fault if Lamar doesn't live up to his expectations.

I want him to do that, trust me.

And I know the Ravens do, too. They, after all, have a lot more invested in him than do I.

It's Ryder Cup week and the Americans have landed in Rome in pursuit of their first "road win" in the event since 1993.

As predicted, the course in Rome -- Marco Simone Golf and Country Club -- has been dressed up to the fancy of the European team, with lengthy, 5 inch rough just a few yards from either side of the fairway. The course will resemble the one in France from 2018 when the U.S. team spent most of its time hacking out of the tall grass while the Europeans played from the fairway en route to a resounding win.

Based on some early "pod groups" from conference calls and such, plus some rumored pairings when the team gathered in Rome two weeks ago for a 3-day early practice session, here are some expected groupings for the American side this week:

Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele

Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas

Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns

Brooks Koepka and Brian Harman

Rickie Fowler and Wyndham Clark

Collin Morikawa and Max Homa

Whether captain Zach Johnson mixes and matches those based on the two different formats (better ball and alternate shot) remains to be seen, but the bet here is you'll see those pairings above at least once, if not twice, during the event which begins on Friday.

Three years ago, this looked like the Cup the Americans would finally win on foreign soil.

Then LIV golf rolled around and those plans got severely disrupted.

Now, the team heads over there with at least three players you would have thought never would see the first tee at a Ryder Cup (Harman, Clark, Burns) and three other guys (Morikawa, Spieth and Thomas) who failed to win a golf tournament on the PGA Tour in 2023.

It's certainly not a "soft" roster by any means. But it's a 12-man team that will almost assuredly have to to over-perform in an effort to snap a 30-year losing streak away from home.

As we saw in last week's Solheim Cup, these matches typically come down to putting. Over the last half dozen Ryder Cup events, it's almost always the European side that putts better when the matches are "over there". If the Americans can steady their putters and hang in there on the greens, this one could be a barnburner.

But you're talking about some of the best players in the world who almost inexplicably can't match their putting with their ball striking.

Scheffler would have won 9 times in 2023 if he would have putted even halfway decently.

Morikawa gave away two tournament victories with his balky putter.

Justin Thomas was one of the worst ranked putters on TOUR in 2023, which explains how someone who strikes the ball as well as he does didn't even make the FedEx Cup playoffs.

For the Americans to win this weekend, they have to putt well. End of story.

The Europeans have patched together a collection of world class players who have historically rolled the ball well in this event.

It's important to remember the U.S. needs only to manage a 14-14 tie to "retain the Cup". They're starting with a half-point advantage, basically, which could loom critical by Sunday afternoon's singles matches.

Monday September 25, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3317

just giving it away

So......

How 'bout those Orioles, huh?

That's one way to avoid talking about Sunday's Ravens debacle, right?

We can focus on the Birds, who now own a magic number of three to clinch the Eastern Division. Or we can go ahead and chronicle the disaster that was yesterday's 22-19 OT loss to the Colts.

We'll do the manly thing and face the music created by the Ravens, I guess.

It was awful.

There are times when you lose a game, even one to an inferior opponent, and you can sort of rationalize your way through it.

Sunday's loss? It had everything. And I mean, EVERYTHING.

You couldn't really rationalize how it all went down.

These are in no particular order, so please don't think I'm putting the main onus on the officiating when I point out the hideous non-call in overtime.

There are bad calls in every game. On both sides. I'm about as much of an anti-referee basher as you'll find anywhere. "Bad officiating" is generally just a convenient excuse for a team's failure to execute.

But that non-call on the (very obvious) pass interference infraction in overtime was a crusher. It not only killed the Ravens' final offensive possession it gave the Colts the ball near midfield.

That said, there might not have been a missed call had Lamar hit Zay Flowers on 3rd and 6 earlier in the overtime period when Flowers was waving his arms like a BWI employee flagging in a Southwest flight.

The injury bug that has bit the Ravens in their hind quarters early in the season is definitely making an impact. They beat the Bengals last Sunday without Stanley, Williams, Lindenbaum and Dobbins, but more injuries piled up in that victory and yesterday they were without those four plus Justice Hill, Odafe Oweh and Odell Beckham Jr. And then during the game they lost Gus Edwards to a concussion and Todd Monken had to dust off Melvin Gordon and Kenyan Drake.

Injuries are part of the game. But you can't keep losing valued starters every week and expect to beat anyone. Back-ups and third stringers are in those positions for a reason. They're not as good as the guys they play behind.

Lamar didn't remind anyone of Joe Montana on Sunday, that's for sure. He did manage a handful of nice runs, per usual, and turned a few would-be-sacks into nice gains because he's elusive and the Colts didn't know how to tackle.

But the fumbles and incomplete passes weren't worthy of a $50 million paycheck. Lamar lost to Gardner Minshew in his own building on Sunday. In the corporate world, you'd have to go in and see someone in Human Resources after a performance like that.

After the game, social media boiled over with half the city chastising Lamar for his sub-par play and the other half berating the folks who had the audacity to question Jackson's performance.

And so it goes in Charm City. Lamar could go 5-for-25 for 33 yards and 3 picks and if you pointed out his shoddy play, some people would claim you were trying to "bury the guy".

Jackson wasn't the reason the Ravens lost on Sunday.

But he also wasn't the reason they won, either.

Gardner Minshew came into Baltimore and left as the winning quarterback. I never thought I'd type those words, frankly.

Speaking of Flowers, his blunder on the free kick that followed the late safety in regulation was somewhat understandable once John Harbaugh explained the situation in his post-game press conference.

When the play was first set to take place, 1:58 remained on the clock and the Ravens instructed Flowers to fair catch the free kick because, unlike a punt, a free kick is a live ball, like a kick-off.

They also didn't necessarily want Flowers catching and running with the ball as that elevated the chances for a fumble in their own territory.

Except at some point, the clock got reset to 2:03 and the Ravens -- Harbaugh said -- weren't able to convey new instructions to Flowers, who still called for a fair catch to leave 2:03 on the clock and effectively gave the Colts 40 extra seconds of offense when they got the ball back and moved down the field for a late game-tying field goal.

It's important to note, of course, that Lamar and the offense could have salted the game away with a first down after the free kick faux pas. But they didn't.

So there's no way of knowing what exactly happened on that play. Flowers was going to fair catch the ball originally when the Ravens thought the clock was at 1:58. Then when it got set to 2:03, they wanted Flowers to catch the ball and run with it to get the clock inside the 2 minute warning.

Somehow, that whole thing got botched and the Colts gained some valuable play clock time.

Then, Indianapolis themselves screwed the pooch with their own clock management on their game-tying drive and nearly gave the Ravens enough time to win the game at the end of regulation, but Justin Tucker missed a 60 yard field goal at the buzzer.

It was a game neither team ever looked good enough to win, if that makes sense.

Oh, and at 7-0, the Ravens were on their way to a 14-0 lead when Kenyan Drake had the ball knocked out of his hand deep in Indianapolis territory.

There's no telling how the game plays out and we all know about the word "if" in pro sports, but if the Ravens get into the end zone there to go up 14-0, it's probably lights out for the Colts.

As is almost always the case anytime the Ravens lose a game, home or away, Harbaugh got the lion's share of criticism. It used to be Harbaugh and Greg Roman. Now -- or at least yesterday -- it was Harbaugh who got crushed in the aftermath of a rare home defeat.

Coaching matters, of course. Always.

But I'm not sure how the coach is responsible for a $50 million quarterback fumbling the ball and missing open receivers, in the same way I'm not sure coaching is connected to the quarterback making a great throw or scampering into the end zone from 10 yards out.

I don't know how coaching is the answer when a running back gets the ball knocked out of his hand or the referee fails to make a call that had Stevie Wonder saying, "How on earth did he not see that pass interference?"

Alas, it all matters. Mistakes across the board. They all add up at the end of the day.

Losing at home to a good team is a hard way to go, but it happens once in a while.

Losing at home to a bad team with a quarterback making $40 per hour? That should never happen.

And now the warm-up period on the driving range is over and it's time to take your game out to the course, as the saying goes in golf.

The Ravens next go to Cleveland and Pittsburgh in successive weeks before heading over to London to take on the Titans in mid-October.

It's certainly not time to panic, but these next two games are big ones.

Cleveland actually looked pretty decent yesterday in an easy win over Tennessee and the Steelers went to Las Vegas last night and beat the Raiders. The Ravens will have their work cut out for them next Sunday and the Sunday thereafter.

They need better play from their quarterback, for sure.

They need to stop the other team's running attack, as well.

It would help to get some injured players back, sooner rather than later.

And if the zebras can go a week without making or missing massively important calls, that would also help.

The Ravens just need a win next Sunday in Cleveland.

By any score. Any method.

A win over the Browns and that Colts loss is definitely a thing of the past.

The title of today's edition was the summary of yesterday's Solheim Cup in Spain, where the U.S. women were able to forge a 14-14 tie with the European team but lost out on the Cup because a tie gives the overall victory to the defending champion. Europe has now won three straight Solheim Cups after yesterday's 14-14 tie.

The U.S., though, might have given this year's Cup to Europe.

"Given" as in the form of a handful of missed short putts and at least two inexplicable conceded putts that handed over key points to the European team.

First, it was Cheyenne Knight who incredibly conceded about a 3 foot putt on the 18th hole that led to a tie with Gemma Dryburgh.

Ten minutes later, Allisen Corpuz conceded another putt of similar distance on the 17th hole that ended her match with Maja Stark.

When you finish in a 14-14 tie, every half point matters. If Dryburgh misses that 3 footer at the 18th hole, the U.S. wins. How's that for close?

Conceded putts are part of match play.

In general, you're "giving" a putt to an opponent when you're convinced he/she would make it nearly every time they putt it.

Those three words -- nearly every time -- are important to remember, though, when it comes to a putt that could determine the match.

Giving a 3-footer early in the match is probably OK. Strategically, it might even be smart to give one early, maybe even two, in an effort to keep your opponent from gaining confidence on the greens.

But on the 18th hole of the Solheim Cup? With the whole thing on the line? "I'm sorry, we need to see that go in," is the only thing you have to say to your opponent as she stares at her coin and waits to hear those two words -- "That's good."

In addition to the two conceded putt mistakes, the U.S. had an awful day putting in general. Nelly Korda was a total liability once she got on the greens. Ally Ewing missed two critical short putts -- within four feet or so -- that helped swing her match the wrong way.

If the American women have any kind of decent day with their putters, they win the event going away.

But they weren't decent. Not even close.

For all the discussion about women's golf in the U.S. and how talented the top women players are, their short games and putting are woefully inept.

It's a treat to watch them drive the golf ball. Their golf swings are (mostly) a thing of beauty. They don't hit many foul balls from the tee or the fairway.

But they don't make many birdies.

And they just don't putt well enough to capture the attention of mainstream-golfing-America.

	"Randy On The O's"
Randy Morgan takes #DMD readers through the recent week in Orioles baseball as the Birds try to lay claim to the 2023 A.L. East title.

orioles week in review

Week Record: 4-3

Season Record: 97-59

AL East Standing: 1st Place (+2.5 on TB; clinched 1st WC at minimum)

Magic Number: 3

Player of the Week: John Means 12IP 5H 2R 4BB 5K

The Orioles managed to close out a winning week with a win on Sunday in Cleveland.

The momentum from last Sunday’s amazing comeback carried with the team to Houston, as they opened up with another dramatic 9th inning comeback. After taking the first two in Houston the Birds dropped the last and saw a fatigued bullpen lose two games to the Guardians before battling back to split that series for a 4-3 week.

The week increased their lead on the AL East by half a game with the Tampa Bay Rays going 3-3 against the Angels and Blue Jays. With the tiebreaker in hand that leaves the O’s magic number at just three with six games remaining.

John Means took the mound to begin the week in Houston, holding the Astros to just one run over five innings. It was a solid start but it initiated a trend of short outings from the starters that overburdened an already taxed bullpen.

The O’s were pushing toward the end of 17 consecutive games without a day off and it showed in the middle of the week.

After Means departed, the bullpen ignited. First it was bad Fuji, who couldn’t miss any bats, giving up three runs and recording just a single out. It didn’t go much better for Webb, Coulombe and Baumann who followed.

In the end, the offense picked up the slack. The game went back and forth until Cedric Mullins stepped up in the top of the 9th and took Astros closer Ryan Pressly deep for an Earl Weaver special that put the O’s back on top for good, with Yennier Cano closing it out in the bottom of the inning.

On Tuesday the offense carried the day once again, with Ryan O’Hearn building off a 5-5 game on Monday with a 1st inning home to get the O’s started. Austin Hays then went deep twice to the short porch in left field and Heston Kjerstad added his second MLB homer in the 7th. Kyle Gibson did enough to keep the Birds in the game, but only made it through 4.2 innings, requiring another long stretch from the bullpen.

Kyle Bradish bucked the trend with a dominant start to close out the Houston series. Bradish went six shutout innings, racking up nine strikeouts, but the beleaguered bullpen couldn’t hold the lead. Fujinami walked the first two batters he faced and Baumann couldn’t escape his jam. Then Houston got to Coulombe for a walk-off win in the ninth.

Taking two out of three from the defending champion Astros was nothing to scoff at, but the bullpen issues carried over to Cleveland.

Grayson Rodriguez had a decent start in the opener on Thursday, but struggled to close out batters, leading to an astounding 37 foul balls and running him from the game after five innings. The Guardians got three off the bullpen and the O’s bats failed to take advantage of a spot starter called up from the minors for Cleveland.

After rallying to tie the game in the 8th, a weary Cionel Perez had no command and quickly gave up three runs for a Guardians win.

The Friday loss stung even more. A back and forth game that saw the lead change seven times. The O’s went up 2-0 in the first but Dean Kremer quickly gave it back in his worst outing since the All-Star break. After Cleveland went up 7-6 in the bottom of the 7th the O’s fought back to take the lead in the top of the 9th thanks to a clutch double from Aaron Hicks.

Just when it seemed the Birds had pulled another rabbit out of their hat, the Guardians tagged Cano for two in the bottom of the inning for a walk-off win. It was maybe the first time the O’s seriously missed injured closer Felix Bautista.

With the mood in town turning gloomy after a three game slide that also saw the Rays get a walk-off win of their own, John Means stepped in for one of the crucial starts of the season. Means went out and silenced the Cleveland bats, carrying a no-hitter into the seventh inning.

Means gave up just one run in 7.1 innings, maintaining a tight lead after the O’s once again scored in the first inning. Anthony Santander drove in both runs in the game before Cano and Perez pitched a flawless final two frames to close out the win and turn the tide of the series.

On Sunday, Kyle Gibson provided the kind of veteran leadership the O’s brought him in for. Gibson nearly matched Means impressive outing with seven innings of one-run ball that set the team up for a comfortable 5-1 win to secure a winning week.

The offense rallied for three in the 2nd inning and then Rutschman and Mullins drove in two more in the 4th and 5th. Coulombe and DL Hall handled the bullpen duties with aplomb and put the team in great position to win their first division title since 2014. For his part, Kyle Gibson might have secured a spot in the eventual playoff rotation, more on that coming up below.

There were plenty of options for a Player of the Week. Ryan O’Hearn was scorching hot to start the week and Anthony Santander heated up towards the end of the week. Adley Rutschman was a consistent bat throughout the seven games and Gunnar Henderson continued his spectacular Rookie of the Year campaign.

Nevertheless, it was John Means who stepped up with one of the most clutch starts of the season on Saturday. Paired with a solid outing in Houston on Monday, that earned Means the honors this week.

There were plenty of question marks around the return of Means to the rotation after a long injury layoff, but thus far he has exceeded expectations. Saturday was vintage John Means, and if that guy can show up in the playoffs alongside Kyle Bradish and Grayson Rodriguez, the O’s could be “cooking with grease” as Roquan Smith would say.

Down on the Farm –

The only minor league affiliate left in action this week were the Norfolk Tides. The Tides closed out their regular season with a 3-3 week against Buffalo, finishing the season with the best record in the league. They will continue with postseason play this week.

Top MLB prospect, Jackson Holliday, continues to gain his footing at his fourth level of the season. The 19 year old wunderkind reached base in five of the six games, including two 3-4 nights on Tuesday and Saturday, and his second AAA homer. Holliday raised his AAA OPS to .796 and his season OPS to .939.

Another prospect young for the AAA level, 21 year old Coby Mayo had a big week as well. Mayo reached base in five of the six games, with several multi-hit games and pushed his AAA OPS to an elite .905, putting him only behind Colton Cowser on the team leaderboard.

Not to be outdone, infield prospect Connor Norby hit not one, but two grand slams for the Tides this week. He finished the regular season with an .842 OPS. The aforementioned Cowser had a decent week to close out his AAA campaign with a .937 OPS.

Although he had a rough stretch after his O’s call up, Cowser showed he is beyond AAA pitching and he should be a cornerstone of the O’s roster starting next season.

The Tides lineup is pretty astounding. Even with the graduation of Jordan Westburg and now Heston Kjerstad, the Tides finished with six players over .800 OPS, including the forgotten Kyle Stowers, who ended at .875, quietly putting up a very solid AAA season.

Question of the Week –

The big question this week is almost unavoidable. For several days in the middle of this week, a run of short starts from the rotation exposed an overtaxed and fatigued bullpen. It looked like this could be the Achilles heel that doomed the O’s season until John Means and Kyle Gibson gave two heroic efforts over the weekend.

So the question is, how will this rotation shape up for the pending playoff series and will they do enough to keep the bullpen fresh and effective?

Whether it’s the ALDS or the hopefully unnecessary Wild Card series, the O’s will surely whittle down their starting rotation for the playoffs. In a five game ALDS or seven game ALCS, with off days, they should only need four starters.

There are two absolute locks, with Kyle Bradish and Grayson Rodriguez pitching like the true aces nobody thought the O’s had as recently as the All-Star break.

Bradish is likely to pick up some Cy Young votes and if Rodriguez was only judged on his performance since his recall from AAA, he’d probably be battling Gunnar Henderson for Rookie of the Year honors. I’d put those two up against any one-two combination in the American League right now.

The question comes in filling out the final two spots. For most of the second half it has seemed like Dean Kremer was a certain playoff starter and most assumed Kyle Gibson would get the call for his veteran presence.

However, Kremer has now struggled in his last three starts and has failed to make it past five innings in every start in September. With his gem of a start on Saturday, John Means has forced his way into the conversation. He now has a 2.60 ERA in his three starts since returning from injury and it could be argued he has improved in each of those starts. Means surely gives the O’s the highest upside in a playoff start of the contenders for those last two rotation spots.

Then there is Kyle Gibson, whose 4.86 ERA demonstrates his inconsistency for the O’s this season. He has mixed outstanding starts like Sunday with plenty of labored outings. Gibson has tended to at least eat some innings even when he doesn’t have his best stuff, so that is a consideration.

He is also the most veteran on the staff, having gone to the World Series with the Phillies last year, though he was largely shelved by Philly in the playoff run and only has 3.1 career playoff innings pitched. Gibson has largely been serviceable in September, holding opponents to three runs or less in all his starts.

Jack Flaherty was mercifully moved to the bullpen this week and he flashed some impressive stuff in his first appearance out of the pen. Of the options above, Kremer seems to have the type of arsenal that might play up the most in shortened stints out of the bullpen.

It may be too much of an ask to have Means or Gibson try to adjust to a bullpen role.

So with all that said, my guess at the playoff rotation would be Bradish, Rodriguez, Means and Gibson in that order.

If Hyde and Elias really want to get aggressive they could push Bradish on short rest if they made the seven game ALCS.

Either way, I think you feel pretty good about any of the first three against the other team’s equivalent starter and Gibson can at least be trusted to give you a reasonable effort and perhaps save the bullpen arms if the offense can back him.

With Means returning and several other prospects in the pipeline, Kremer could wind up in the O’s bullpen next year anyway. In the likely event that Felix Bautista doesn’t return for the playoffs, the addition of Kremer could be an asset to a bullpen that currently lacks reliable right handers behind Yennier Cano.

The addition of Kremer to the bullpen could provide two arms capable of stepping in for long relief if a starter gets in trouble early, assuming Flaherty makes the postseason roster. They each would represent a hard throwing righty option to help get the game to the back of the pen as well.

As for the back of that bullpen, there may be no defined closer if Bautista doesn’t return. Nominally it seems to be Yennier Cano, but he is not nearly as lockdown as Bautista was and it probably makes more sense to treat it as a closer by committee that is determined by matchups.

It also makes sense to just use your best relievers in the most high leverage situations, as opposed to “saving” them for the “save” situation (just ask Buck Showalter or Zach Britton). With that in mind, the back of the bullpen would set up with Jacob Wells and Yennier Cano as your trusted righties, with Kremer, Flaherty, or Wells as other potential right-handed options.

The left side is a little more trustworthy, with Danny Coulombe, DL Hall, and Cionel Perez all giving you solid options with slightly different profiles. Cole Irvin is another option who could be brought back up from Norfolk, but given the three ahead of him, that looks less likely.

This also leaves out Shintaro Fujinami, who has some incredible stuff, but is so inconsistent he would be a scary proposition in a high leverage playoff situation. Jorge Lopez is thankfully not eligible for the postseason roster.

Things can certainly change over the next week or two, but that seems to be how its shaping up. The hope would be that the O’s can clinch the division earlier this week and allow some of their key arms to get some rest.

Getting the bye in the Wild Card series is especially critical for the rest it affords a currently weary bullpen and the ability to line up the starting rotation exactly as you’d like.

This Week –

The Orioles close out the season with a six game homestand. They’ll get a much needed day off on Monday, before hosting the lowly Nationals for two games and then the hated Red Sox for the final four games. The Nationals enter the week losing six of their last ten while the Red Sox limp in just 2-8 over their last ten.

Tampa Bay only has five games remaining, all of which are on the road. They’ll head to Fenway for two games on Tuesday and Wednesday and then close it out with three games against a desperate Blue Jays team in Toronto.

It certainly would be nice to have a Clinchmas celebration party in front of that team from Boston that has packed our stadium with their fans for years. I suspect it will be all orange and black this weekend.

	#DMD GAME DAY Week 3 Sunday — September 24, 2023 Issue #3316
	Indianapolis Colts at Baltimore Ravens 1:00 PM EDT M&T Bank Stadium Baltimore, MD Spread: Ravens (-8.0)

ravens battle colts today in soggy charm city

This one, today, is known in the business as a "Flyers cheerleader".

Not pretty.

When the Ravens and Colts do battle at 1 pm, it's going to be nasty: Rainy, windy, and just plain no fun to play in. That's pretty much the forecast.

The good news for Baltimore? They're playing the Colts.

The bad news: The Ravens are missing a half dozen key starters and the weather is going to be awful in Baltimore this afternoon.

If ever there was a formula for an upset, today's the day.

Lamar gets a case of (wet) butter fingers.

Ravens have a tough time running the ball with Dobbins out and Justice Hill sidelined for today's game.

Baltimore turns it over a couple of times in the wrong spot on the field and Indy scrapes together a couple of short scoring drives they otherwise wouldn't have been able to produce.

Justin Tucker misses a field goal on the rainy turf.

Next thing you know, it's a 20-16 Colts win -- out of nowhere.

But I don't see that happening.

Rain, snow, sleet, mud, etc., I just don't see Indianapolis winning this game.

It might be boring and mistake-filled, as rainy games often are, but the Ravens will do enough to win.

The keys to the game are the obvious ones.

First and foremost -- don't turn the ball over on offense. Keep it in your possession and hope the other guy can't hold on to it.

Lamar, by the way, has actually been effective in rainy weather over the last few years. That doesn't mean he won't make a mistake or two today, but his pedigree, at least in the NFL, is that he handles slippery conditions quite well.

The second biggest key will be field position. Pin them back with a punt if you have to. Play the run well because you know the Colts will try to establish the run given the wet conditions. And be solid on special teams throughout the day.

This might be a plodder's game, for sure, but it's one the Ravens should be able to handle unless something really weird happens.

I'm going to guess the Colts don't find the end zone in this one. Baltimore improves to 3-0 for the first time in seven years with a 23-6 win.

news and notes

The Orioles bandwagon should have charged a "reloading fee" after last night's 2-1 win in Cleveland.

A lot of locals who quit on the team following Friday's loss to the Guardians were back on with a window seat on Saturday evening, howling at the moon about how great John Means was or how the Orioles don't need Felix Bautista after Yennier Cano and Cionel Perez got through the final 1.2 innings without nary a trace of concern.

Friday night: "We're not going anywhere in the playoffs. Shame on Elias for not getting us more help at the deadline."

Saturday night: "This team is so special! Every night it's a different hero! I love these guys!"

John Means carried a no hitter into the 7th inning before giving up a solo home run and Anthony Santander knocked in both Baltimore runs to account for the 2-1 victory. Despite the Rays magically scoring twice in the bottom of the 9th to turn back Toronto, the O's reduced their magic number to 5 with last night's win.

Kyle Gibson will go for the O's in today's series finale.

Then it's back to Baltimore to clinch the A.L. East against either the Nationals or Red Sox before the regular season closes next Sunday.

It wasn't an offensive explosion on Saturday for sure. The Baltimore bats were as silent last night as they were impressive on Friday evening in the 9-8 loss to the Guardians. But Means, Cano and Perez teamed up for a much-needed "pitcher's game" and the O's were able to move one game closer to that division title with the win.

Deion Sanders and his Colorado football team got a visit from the Cleat of Reality on Saturday in the form of a 42-6 thrashing at Oregon.

Afterwards, Sanders got roasted on social media.

And "roasted" might be a tame way of putting it.

Sanders has become a polarizing figure in college sports these days, in case you haven't been on this planet over the last five weeks or so.

And yesterday, in the wake of the 42-6 loss to Oregon, the former NFL star got a taste of humble pie.

But guess what? He handled it great.

He said all the right things afterwards. He didn't complain about the officiating. Didn't whine about the way his team is being portrayed in the media. Didn't talk about anything, really, except getting beat and trying to improve this week.

Like him or not, Sanders is building a "new" culture at Colorado. Whether he eventually turns that program around and into a national power of sorts is a long way from being determind. They're four games into his tenure, after all.

But for now, at least, Deion is turning Colorado into a team that you know will play hard for all 60 minutes. His style is his style. It's not for everyone. His players, no doubt, are going to assume their coach's identity along the way.

The swagger, the sunglasses, the boastful nature...it's all part of the Deion package. And his team(s) will no doubt reflect that along the way.

But yesterday, at least, they took their loss with humility and moved on from there. Sanders knows the truth and said as much yesterday. Teams want to beat him even more than they want to beat Colorado. Seems weird, but it's true.

Colorado is, if nothing else, a national football story in 2023. It's been a while since that was the case. So Deion is already doing something right, isn't he?

On Friday afternoon at the Solheim Cup, U.S. women's golfer Lexi Thompson hit one of the worst "pressure shots" in the event's history when she badly mis-hit a chip shot that helped her opponent score a big win in the better ball format.

Afterwards, she badly misplayed the press conference, as did her captain Stacey Lewis.

Thompson, who has enjoyed a wonderful career but has also fallen victim to "worst shot at the worst possible time" moments on a number of occasions, took umbrage with a question that was asked about the shanked chip shot.

"I'm not going to answer a question about that shot," she said sharply when a member of the media asked her to describe the shot and what she thought happened.

Under her breath, but loud enough for the microphones to pick up, Lewis muttered, "That's a terrible question."

If Rory McIlroy or Brooks Koepka shanks a chip shot in a critical match this Friday afternoon in Rome, you can bet someone is going to ask them about it.

It's part of the deal. You're a professional golfer. Playing on the biggest stage of your sport. And you hit "that kind of shot" when it mattered most. You're getting asked about it.

If Justin Tucker misses a 40-yard field goal at the buzzer today and the Ravens lose 20-19, Tucker's getting asked about it after the game. End of story.

Thompson ducking that question on Friday was about as bush league as it gets.

And the response from Lewis, under her breath, was even worse.

"That's a terrible question..."

No, ma'am, it's not. It's actually the only question worth asking. "What happened on that shot?"

Thompson could have said this: "What happened? I shanked the ball. You saw it. It happens. I didn't want it to happen. I went through my routine and had everything in order, I thought. But when I hit the shot, it didn't come off the way I wanted it to come off."

Instead, she backed out of the question. "I'm not answering questions about that shot."

Please.

Women have long asked for "equal treatment" in the world of professional sports and they very well might deserve it. But with the good comes the bad. If you make a 30-footer to win your match, you're going to be standing there waving the media to come over and talk with you about it.

When you shank a key chip shot in the biggest team event in women's golf, you have to man-up (or "woman-up", I guess) and face the music.

Players like Thompson and Lewis talk about "growing the game" and "teaching girls about golf" and then they do that on Friday evening.

Any lessons learned from that weren't good ones, that's for sure.

	BET IT ALL PAUL and his weekly NFL picks
Bet It All Paul lives in the nicest house in his Harford County neighborhood because he knows NFL football. Did you bet a thousand on the Eagles making the Super Bowl last year? Paul did. Follow Paul's lead this season and you can live in a nice house too!

I did some serious butt kicking last weekend and I'm already 1-0 this week after that easy 49'ers cover on Thursday, so I feel like I'm starting to hit my NFL stride.

I was 7-2 yesterday in college football, but the NFL is where I make most of my big bucks. I hope the bad east coast weather doesn't get in the way of some of the games today because a lot of the east coast games are easy wins if you're betting the right way.

Here are my picks for today.

Titans at Browns (-3.5) -- Don't like either of these teams but 3.5 points seems like a lot for the Browns to give anyone so I'm taking Tennessee and the 3.5 in this one.

Falcons at Lions (-3.5) -- That Lions loss was expected last week after they beat KC in their opening game. Detroit will bounce back today with a 10-point win over Atlanta, so I'll the Lions and give up 3.5 points.

Saints at Packers (-1.0) -- I don't think New Orleans is for real but if they are they will go to Green Bay and win today. I like the Packers in this one and the one point spread is too inviting to pass up. Going with Green Bay minus 1.

Broncos at Dolphins (-6.0) -- I love making money off of Russell Wilson. I paid for our vacation in Italy this summer because of Wilson and the Broncos last season. This is my Play of the Day. Miami wins by 17. Taking the Dolphins minus 6 here.

Chargers at Vikings (even) -- One of these teams will start 0-3 and have most of their playoff hopes crushed before they even get to October. In a coin flip game I almost always go with the better defense, so I'm taking the home team Vikings in this game.

Patriots at Jets (-2.5) -- Even without Rodgers this one would be an easy Jets win at home, but I think the weather could play a huge factor in this game and that means a close game. I'm still taking the Jets though and giving up 2.5 to New England. Just for fun, I placed a small bet on the exact score of this one: 13-9 Jets.

Bills at Commanders (+6.0) -- Another game that will be weather affected. Under normal circumstances I'd say Buffalo giving up the points would be the way to go but I'm thinking the other way now. I'll take Washington plus 6 points in a game Buffalo wins with a field goal at the final whistle.

Texans at Jaguars (-7.5) -- Jacksonville wins this one in a blowout. Nothing else to say except take the Jags and give up the 7.5 points.

Panthers at Seahawks (-5.0) -- I don't know what to make of either of these teams but I think Seattle is too good at home and until the Panthers prove something on the road I'll go with the Hawks and give up the 5 points.

Bears at Chiefs (-12.5) -- I like nothing about the Bears and the Chiefs are obviously the big favorites here but I think the Chicago defense is good enough to limit what K.C. does and keep this one kind of close. Kansas City wins this one by 11, so we're taking Chicago plus the 12.5 points on the road.

Cowboys at Cardinals (+13.0) -- You just have to take the home team getting 13 points in this one. There's no other way to go even though Arizona is maybe the worst team in the league. Dallas wins the game but Arizona covers. Take Cardinals plus 13 points.

Steelers at Raiders (-2.5) -- I'll go with the home team to win this one by a field goal. Raiders minus 2.5 points.

Colts at Ravens (-8.0) -- I don't see any way the Colts are in this game. The Ravens defense is too good to allow more than one TD and the Baltimore offense is too good to not score at least two or three TD's and a couple of field goals. Ravens win 24-10. Take the Ravens minus the 8 points.

Eagles at Buccaneers (+5.0) -- The first of the two Monday night games. I'm going with Tampa Bay to keep this one close. Philly wins by 3 or 4 but Tampa Bay covers the 5 points. Going with the Buccaneers.

Rams at Bengals (-2.5) -- Can the Bengals finally win a game? Is Joe Burrow 100% healthy? That's the key question in this one and I think I'll take visiting Rams and the 2.5 points. Something just tells me the Bengals are not going to be good this year.

3-team parlay -- Jacksonville, Seattle, Miami

First half outright winners -- Ravens, Dallas, Lions

Saturday September 23, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3315

o's bullpen no longer easy money

It's still not time to panic, despite what you might have read on the internet last Night.

Yes, the O's dropped a heartbreaker in Cleveland, 9-8. A pitcher's duel it wasn't.

But the High Hopes for an A.L. East title were helped a little bit by Tampa Bay's 6-2 home loss to the Blue Jays. With that defeat, the O's magic number for the division crown diminished to just 6 games. Any combination of six O's wins or Rays losses and the Birds will be the Last Man Standing in the East for 2023.

Friday's game followed a similar pattern to others we've seen of late. The O's went up early, fell behind, climbed back in it, coughed up the lead once again, then created some 9th inning Magic with Aaron Hicks supplying a 2-run hit with 2-strikes and 2-outs to put Baltimore up 8-7.

Editor's note: That wasn't actually a "hit" from Hicks. A major league third baseman should never let that ball get past him like that. But I understand it's home cookin' and all and no one likes to give errors any longer. It's like these official scorers aren't living in the Real World.

Give the Orioles credit. There's No Surrender in those guys.

But in the bottom of the 9th, the Guardians came up with two runs of their own off of annointed-closer Yennier Cano and that was that...an 8-7 win turned into a 9-8 loss.

Point Blank, it was a bad loss. Had it in the bag and gave it away.

While Cano and the pitching took the brunt of public critcism last night, it was shoddy fielding that really did the O's in. There were errors, misplayed grounders and Anthony Santander even slipped on the outside grass to allow two more Cleveland runs, further showcasing the O's Keystone Cops routine in the 9-8 loss.

The team's defensive play on Friday was amateur-hour stuff. And that might be a tad disrespectful to amateurs.

But let's stop with all the doom and gloom and "we'll never win another game" stuff. We Are Alive and headed back to the post-season for the first time since 2016.

The fan base is losing its mind -- at least some of them are, anyway -- over this latest "rough stretch" that saw a couple of late leads get frittered away in Houston and Cleveland. They conveniently forget about Cedric Mullins last week, who played the role of Local Hero with a 3-run homer in the 9th inning of an 8-7 win over the Astros.

Everyone in town wants guys like Perez, Baumann and Cano to be Shackled And Drawn every time they give up a run. They forget about all the times this year when those guys came in and locked up opposing hitters like a Highway Patrolman.

There's a lot of baseball still left to play. And it would take a near-miracle for the Rays to catch the Birds given the respective schedules of the two teams between now and October 1st.

Yes, the O's have hit some Rocky Ground in Cleveland. We're not going to sugarcoat it.

But let's not forget about the 95 wins and the impending Eastern Division title while we're begging for Better Days here in late September.

I'm not sure what to make of O's fans. One Minute You're Here, enjoying an amazing season (anyone remember a game in Baltimore just last Sunday?) and the next minute you're ready to jump in The River because the O's played scruffy defense and allowed a late lead to evaporate.

Yes, the loss of Felix Bautista has made a huge impact. I told you as much when it happened. A lot of folks around town poo-poo'd Bautista's injury with stuff like, "It's three outs...anyone can close."

But that's just not true. Closing takes something special. And Bautista was just Tougher Than The Rest.

Sure, he blew a save or two himself along the way. Everyone does. But last night's loss in Cleveland likely doesn't happen with a rested Felix Bautista out there like a Wrecking Ball terrorizing the Guardians.

I suppose This Depression will only last a day or two, at most. O'Hearn or Henderson will hit a 7th inning 3-run home run to Youngstown tonight and the Birds will scratch out a 6-4 win to get everyone back on track. Baltimore will be happy once again.

Better Days are ahead, friends.

It's a long season. You win a few you shouldn't and you lose a few you shouldn't.

The problem with the O's is they didn't lose many they shouldn't until Bautista went out. More recently, though, late inning leads have been difficult to navigate. In other words, it's become increasingly harder to get to The Promised Land in the 8th and 9th innings.

It will all turn out just fine.

Don't drop your playoff tickets Into The Fire.

Don't send your black "BALTIMORE" city-connect jersesy to your Uncle Dave in Reno.

Don't give up.

As I've tried to remind everyone all year, this is still far, far better than seeing the team go 58-104 again.

Sure the bullpen might be a Roll Of The Dice right about now, but you're going to be attending a playoff game in Baltimore in a couple of weeks.

Somewhere North Of Nashville, the beer is (still) cold.

Friday September 22, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3314

rooting for the orioles to.......lose?

OK, this is definitely going to be very weird next month.

It wasn't supposed to be that way, mind you. But circumstances, man.

I will actually be rooting -- somewhat, at least -- for the Orioles to lose some games in the ALDS and ALCS.

I told you it was going to be weird.

At 10:00 am yesterday, I logged on to the MLB ticketing platform in an effort to obtain Orioles playoff tickets. My perfect-world scenario was going to be Game 1 or 2 of the ALDS and/or Game 1 or 2 of the ALCS.

I obviously wanted those games because I'd know for sure I'd get to take in playoff baseball at Camden Yards.

55 minutes later, after the ticketing page refreshed every 45 seconds, the screen suddenly flashed and, beyond belief, I was "in".

Attempts to snag tickets for the games I wanted proved futile right away. Single seats were plentiful, but I was looking for two or more for each game.

As a shot in the dark, I clicked on "Home Game 4" of the ALCS, which, of course would actually be Game #7 of the series. And there they were. Two tickets. I bought them right away.

I then moved to "Home Game 3", which is Game #6 of the ALCS, and bought two tickets for that contest as well.

Figuring I was in one of those "charmed life" kind of moments, I went to "Home Game 3" of the ALDS and my good fortune rolled on. I got two more tickets for that game as well.

Sadly, I couldn't get any other ALDS or ALCS seats. But I am now the proud owner of two seats to Game #5 of the ALDS and Games #6 and #7 of the ALCS.

Best of all, if those games aren't played for some reason, I get a refund instead of the not-so-popular "credit" on next season's tickets.

There's fine print, of course. I do lose the $15.00 "service fee" I had to pay on each of the three purchases, which seems a little -- or maybe a lot, actually -- scandalous. But you're either paying that or not getting the tickets. Creeps.

So, now, I need the Orioles to lose twice in the ALDS and at least twice in the ALCS. That seems odd. "I need the Orioles to lose..."

And here's something extra funny: If I'm really "charmed", the Birds will have a 3-2 series lead in the ALCS and they'll drop Game 6 at home and I'll see Game 6 and have two tickets to Game 7...arguably the most important game in Baltimore baseball since Game 2 of the 1983 World Series.

The way I'm dealing with this is simple: I'm a winner no matter what happens in the playoffs. If the O's win the ALDS in four games, that's great. If I don't get to see Game #5, so be it.

And if they win the ALCS in 4 or 5 games, I'm thrilled beyond belief. If I don't get to see Game #6 and/or Game #7 because the O's are going to the World Series, I'm doing handstands out on Joppa Road.

But it sure would be good to see those three home playoff games with my 16-year old son.

I told you it's going to be weird.

I hope the O's win every playoff game they play. But if they lose a couple in the ALDS, I'll be just fine with that. And it wouldn't hurt my feelings at all to see them drop a couple of games in the ALCS, either.

Go O's!!! (kind of)

Weird...weird...weird.

A bunch of questions came in this week for a Q&A segment and I'll try to knock out a few of them here today.

As always, if you have a question for me, you can e-mail me directly at: 18inarow@gmail.com

Russ asks -- "I'm assuming your answer to this will be Tiger Woods but I'm curious about something: What athlete do you wish would have accomplished more than he or she did in their career? Thanks!"

DF says -- "What else could Tiger have accomplished? He won 82 times and won 15 major championships. He's the greatest golfer of his generation and perhaps of all-time. I'm not sure there was anything left for him to do. This is an interesting question nonetheless and my answer is Tim Tebow.

It's a shame Tebow couldn't duplicate his college success in the NFL. He would have been massively important to the theme of "Christianity in Sports". Alas, he made an impact in that area in his short NFL career, but I wish he would have been around for much longer."

Brian Owings asks -- "Looking ahead to the 2024 season there are a number of free agent starting pitchers the O's could pursue and one name that jumps out is Clayton Kershaw. I realize he's near the end of his career but do you think the O's should take a flyer on him for a season or two? Thanks and Go Hall!!"

DF says -- "You won't find many bigger Clayton Kershaw fans than this guy right here, but I don't think that's the direction the Birds should be going next season. His price tag has gone way down in the last few years so it's not about the money. I just don't think taking a career National League pitcher and moving him over to the American League at the end of his run is a good idea.

And if Kershaw does move over to the A.L., you have to assume he's going to either the Rangers or Astros to finish his career in his home state.

You didn't ask, but I looked at the free agent pitcher list for 2024 and the names I see that are interesting, potentially, are guys like Aaron Nola, Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery. All three of them will get bucks in the free agent market. It seems unlikely the O's would pay any of them. But those three are better options than Kershaw."

Mike Morgan asks -- "What do you do with Frazier, O'Hearn, Hicks, Urias and McCann next year if you're running the Orioles? They seem like the most likely guys to be on the chopping block, right?"

DF says -- "Well, O'Hearn is a definite keeper. I mean, you could make a very strong argument that he's a top 5 MVP candidate on the team this year. His second half has been outstanding. He's become a valuable asset to this team.

Frazier has had a lot of good moments for sure but he's very expendable. If he's back, that's fine. If you upgrade there, that's fine as well.

Hicks is a one-year guy. No disrespect intended. He could have the big hit in the ALCS that sends the O's to the World Series for all I know. But you have all of those young guys in the farm system waiting to play the outfield and do what Hicks does. They need to play.

I like Urias. And if Holliday is going to come up next year, you can't have both Mateo and Urias on the roster. I'd keep Urias over Mateo, personally.

McCann can stick around for sure. There are some other back-up catchers available this off-season who are certainly better offensively than him, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it. McCann has been a nice part to the 2023 puzzle."

R.C. asks -- "Do you subscribe to the idea that Minkah Fitzpatrick should face some sort of penalty or punishment from the league because he was the one who ended Nick Chubb's season? And yes before you ask, I'm a long suffering Browns fan who is very angry about what happened on Monday night. But I respect your opinion on this."

DF says -- "I think that was a reckless tackle. No ways about it. Was it intentional? I don't think so. "Intentional" means he went into the tackle saying, "I'm going to hit this guy right below the knee and best case scenario, I wreck his entire season and maybe even his career."

I don't think Fitzpatrick is that kind of player. But I think it was a bad tackle. "Reckless", as I said at the time and repeated above.

Should there be a punishment? I just don't know how you adjudicate that one. Every time someone is involved in a play where another player suffers a season-ending injury are you going to suspend him for 10 games or for 75% of the length the injured player is out of action? Is that your solution? I just don't see how that works.

It was definitely a bad tackle. But I think "football happened" there more than anything else."

Eric Dillin asks -- "Is Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright a Hall of Famer?"

DF says -- "No way. I realize he just picked up his 200th win and all and 200 wins has somehow become a "benchmark" for pitchers in this century, but nothing else about his numbers stands out to me. This would be different, I think, had he won 2 or 3 Cy Young awards along the way. Or if he had 200 wins but his career ERA was somewhere around 3.00 or 2.85 or something really strong like that.

He's been a very good pitcher. He had some high quality years, no doubt about that.

And if they built a Hall of Very Good, he could be in there along with Harold Baines, Plaxico Burress, Corey Pavin and The Beatles.

But Wainwright was not a Hall of Fame pitcher. He just wasn't."

Don asks -- "I assume you know Bruce is turning 74 years old this Saturday (tomorrow), September 23. What's your favorite Bruce song and album of all-time? Thanks, Drew."

DF says -- "This changes so much. One year my favorite album is "Darkness", the next year it's "The Rising", then I spend a lot of time listening to "Magic", and so on.

I think you could make a case for every Bruce album from the beginning until "Wrecking Ball" being great in some fashion. Since Wrecking Ball, it's been pretty bland, in my opinion, except I thought "Western Stars" was an interesting piece of music at that point in his career.

If you really pressed me to pick a favorite album, though, I'd probably say "Born To Run". Every song on the album is outstanding. It was, as it turned out, his Mona Lisa. It's one of the 5 or 10 most iconic albums in modern music history. "Darkness" and "Magic" would probably be next for me.

My favorite song of all-time is a bit of an obscure tune from "Magic" called "I'll Work For Your Love". It's a song about a husband and wife growing old together, which might be why it speaks to me like it does. It connects love, faith and friendship into a terrific 3 and a half minute piece of music.

Mainstream favorite? That's easy. "Rosalita" would be my choice in that category.

Happy Birthday to The Boss! 74 and still going strong!!"

faith in sports

Every third Thursday of the month (from April through October), I help run a free junior golf clinic at Pine Ridge as part of Fellowship of Christian Athletes Golf.

At the end of the clinic, we move into what is commonly known in FCA circles as "the huddle", where we gather all the participants and do 15 minutes or so of faith discussion to bring the event to a close.

One of the staples of every huddle we organize is to explain "The Four" to all of our participants. While we do our best to pass along "The Four" in a way that's easy to understand, I don't think anyone does it better than former Ravens tight end Ben Watson.

And, so, rather than me explain it to you today, here he is explaining it to you.

It's 4 minutes long. Watson asks some pressing questions. Some questions, honestly, that might make you feel uncomfortable. But if you give this video 4 minutes of your time, you might eventually wind up feeling more comfortable instead of less comfortable.

Thanks, as always, to our friends at Freestate Electrical for their continuing support of #DMD and our "Faith in Sports" segment here every Friday.

Thursday September 21, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3313

and now usc boots a reporter

Baltimore, as we're finding out, isn't home to the only team trying to make sure reporters and media types follow the protocols they establish.

The University of Southern California has blocked a sports reporter from having team access for two weeks after they decided he had violated their stipulated "rules of reporting".

Luca Evans, who covers USC football for the Orange County Register and Southern California News Group was told his access to the team was being suspended for two weeks after coach Lincoln Riley took exception to a story Evans wrote after the reporter allegedly spoke with two players outside of the formal "contact time" established by the school's media relations department.

USC also cited Evans for asking questions of team coaches and players after the conclusion of press conferences and speaking to players in areas on campus that aren't designated for media contact.

In other words: USC wants to decide when and where reporters do their jobs.

The onus of this, of course, falls directly on USC. If their players speak to a reporter when they're not permitted to do so or in a spot on campus where questions aren't allowed to be asked, the players should be the ones getting the lion's share of the blame. Do they know their own media policies? If so, they should know better.

Evans doesn't work for the team.

He works for the newspaper and the news agency.

This situation is most certainly different than the one Kevin Brown encountered almost two months ago because Brown works for the team. Whether we all agree with stupid stuff like "not glorifying the Tampa Bay franchise", not mentioning guys like Zach Britton and Manny Machado or any of the other silly rules they come up with their broadcaster is kind of beside the point.

The O's set the ground rules for their employees and expect them to be followed.

But at heart, the stories are similarily connected because it's a team -- and school -- using a suspension as a form of punishment to make sure the (apparent) guilty party learns their lesson.

The Orioles, of course, have a long history of making sure media folks stay in their lane. Earlier this year, John Angelos refused to answer a question posed to him by Dan Connolly because Connolly had the audacity to ask a baseball-related question on Martin Luther King's birthday.

The Ravens are like every other NFL franchise. They set aside certain times a few days a week for "media availability" and then they allow stipulated access to players and coaches for 30 to 45 minutes.

If you try to ask questions outside of that time frame, you're violating their rules. And you're then subject to whatever penalties they come up with to keep you in line.

It's the way it is these days.

The Ravens have a rule that you can't report on formations that are used in practice. And people actually have to follow the rule or, you guessed it, they get chastised and, potentially, punished for violating the team-established policy.

The former President of the U.S. launched into a tirade against a reporter recently because of "pressing" questions she asked of him.

Maybe she should have asked about his golf game.

It's not just in sports, in other words. It's everywhere. "You can ask me anything but if I don't want to answer it I'll make you out to the bad guy."

I remember once I asked Rex Ryan a question on my Monday morning radio show where he was a regular guest and later that day at the facility, he shot me a look and said, "I almost hung up on you this morning."

I don't recall exactly what I asked him, but it had something to do with "his" defense giving up a bunch of yards on the ground and he took umbrage with the fact that I brought that up on the show.

"I asked you a football question," I said to him.

"You put me in a bad spot," he responded.

"Well, I wasn't trying to do that. I was just trying to do a radio show," I countered.

People like answering questions when it highlights something they've done well.

But when they have to answer a question about a game or moment gone bad, they get snippy.

And when you're a reporter, like the guy out in Southern California, you have to ask specific questions about specific times or you lose your access to the team and the players.

It's all kind of laughable, really.

These schools and NFL teams do enough of their own P.R. and social media marketing that they don't really need the media any longer, anyway.

If the Ravens and Orioles had their way, no one from the Baltimore Sun or 105.7 would be in the press box or at the facility. They both needed the media 25 years ago. They don't need anyone any longer.

At least that's what the teams think.

USC football doesn't need some kid from the Orange County Register sniffing around and asking questions of their players in front of Panda Express or the school coffee shop.

"You ask questions when and where we tell you to ask them..."

These schools and teams have built up a lot of nerve over the years.

I recently commented on Twitter how the Orioles are leading a "charmed" life in 2023 and Eric Dangerfield took exception to that.

It's so weird how we, as humans, get locked into certain words and make them into something they aren't.

"Why can't you just say the Orioles are playing great baseball and leave it at that?" Eric wrote to me. "Saying they're charmed is like saying they're lucky and all you're trying to do is take away from the fact that the O's are a great team. Do better."

"Charmed" and "lucky" aren't nearly the same thing in sports. By definition, they might be. Charmed is "unusually lucky or happy as though protected by magic."

In sports, we talk about a player or team being "charmed" as a way of saying there are things happening to them that seem like almost strange, beneficial occurrences.

Yes, like there's some "magic" involved, basically.

I say this all the time and it's bizarre how (supposedly) smart people don't seem to grasp it. In life, would you rather enjoy good fortune or bad fortune? Good luck or bad luck?

Why, then, do we get irritated when someone mentions we're enjoying or benefiting from "good" luck?

I've never figured it out. I'd love to be lucky enough to win the Lotto someday. Wouldn't that be a wonderful stroke of fortune for me?

Or you?

I've played many a round of golf where I've mishit a couple of tee shots and they've headed off wildly to the right, only to hit a tree and deflect perfectly into the middle of the fairway.

"You're getting so lucky," a playing competitor in the group eventually says.

"I know. I love it," I always reply.

Would I rather get lucky and have the ball wind up in the fairway or get unlucky and have the ball bound even further right into the trees and out of play?

Give me that good luck, every single time.

Don't we all want to lead a charmed life? Seriously, don't we?

As it relates to the Orioles, I've pointed out time and time again this year, since the start of the season really, how well they've meshed together as a team. I was the one, for people with a short memory, who said they'd make the playoffs this year all the way back in March.

I was the one who said they'd win the division back on June 5.

I've been "on" the Orioles all season. I think they're a very good -- maybe even "great" -- team.

But they've also led an incredibly charmed life this year.

And that's what happens when you're in the midst of one of those "special" seasons that you might not have otherwise assumed was coming your way.

Weird things happen time and time again in those special seasons. Almost like magic. You don't know why, but they just do.

That 8th inning, 2-out grounder yesterday in Houston was a perfect example. The scorcher hit up the middle could have gone anywhere once it nicked off of Mike Baumann. If it goes 20 feet to his right or left, the O's give up the go-ahead run in the 8th.

Instead, it bounds off of him, hits the upslope of the mound and goes in the air to Adam Frazier, who is stationed right behind the bag at second. If the ball is eight inches higher, it goes into centerfield. Instead, Frazier snags it and throws the runner out at first to preserve a 1-1 tie.

That wasn't "luck".

It was the very definition of leading a "charmed life". When you're 74-80 and things aren't going right for you, that ball hits the pitcher, caroms 20 feet to his right, and the go-ahead run scampers home.

When you're the Orioles in 2023, everything falls perfectly into place.

There's nothing at all wrong with it. And nothing wrong with saying it.

Look at Frazier's double on Sunday afternoon in the win over Tampa Bay. That ball was fair by, what, maybe 6 inches? He could stand there all day for the next month and look at 95 mile per pitches and never hit a ball like that again.

The Orioles continue to lead an incredibly charmed life in 2023. Other than an injury here or there, they've played the season almost as healthy as they can possibly be. While other teams in the division have lost key players for significant stretches of time, the O's just motor along, laughing, smiling and winning 5 games a week.

I realize we treat our teams with kid gloves and get very jittery on the occasion we hear or read something that doesn't sit well with us.

The Orioles leading a charmed life this season should be celebrated, not criticized.

I hope it continues for another six weeks. I really do.

There's an old saying that's constantly bandied about: Better to be lucky than good.

In this case, it's better to be charmed than not.

A quick note on tonight's NFL game: Bet It All Paul is taking the 49'ers and giving the Giants 10.5 points.

Wednesday September 20, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3312

wednesday wisdom

I'm starting to think maybe the Orioles won't ever lose again.

Well, at least not this season, anyway.

All they've done the last two nights is beat a good team, in their own stadium, who desperately needed to win to keep their own division title hopes alive.

For those who remember the Astros cheating their way to the 2017 World Series title, these last two nights have been particularly heartwarming. Maybe beating the Yankees in New York or the Red Sox in Boston with their respective playoff hopes on the line would be a little more thrilling, but not by much.

Last night's win was casually "just another night" for the O's, who continue to find ways to churn out ways in somewhat improbable ways. On Tuesday evening, it was a James McCann suicide squeeze that turned out to be one of the key moments of the 9-5 win in Houston.

One night it's a home run, the next night it's a bunt. The Orioles will beat you, seemingly, in whatever fashion they want to beat you.

Speaking of bunting, seeing both failed and successful bunt attempts over the last three games reminded me of something from all the way back in my Little League days.

The gruff, headstrong manager of my 9-10 team once said: "If you're not able to lay down a bunt, you're not a real baseball player. Baseball players know how to bunt."

I've never forgotten those words.

His name, by the way, was Charley Eckman. And I guess I should confess he was the manager "by title" only. He showed up, most of the time, but another parent did a lot of the organizing and team management, if you will. Charley was there when he could be there given his busy schedule, but when he was there, he'd always leave us with nuggets like the one about bunting.

And, so, when I see a Major League player not able to bunt, it always reminds me of that lesson Charley gave us at Sawmill Park (which, by the way, now proudly boasts "Charley Eckman Drive" as you enter the facility).

I'm the first to realize, now that I'm older, that bunting a 95 mph fastball is much harder than bunting a 50 or 55 mph Little League pitch.

But I think you get the point.

Anyway, I'm not sure when the Orioles will lose again.

One more win in Houston (2:05 pm this afternoon) and they're off to Cleveland to take on the Guardians, who have zero to play for and are mostly interested in not getting hurt over the last week of their season.

Then it's the Nationals (2) and Red Sox (4) at home. My guess is the O's will clinch the division title next Thursday against Boston. Plan accordingly and get your tickets now.

Not that it matters to us, here, because our playoff spot is locked up and the A.L. East is all but wrapped up, but the National League playoff race is W-I-L-D.

Atlanta and L.A. have clinched their division crowns and Milwaukee is about to do the same thing in the Central. But the wild card race is nuts.

The Phillies have played great second half baseball and they're closing in on another post-season spot. They have 82 wins.

Arizona has 80 wins. Then it's the Marlins, Cubs and Reds with 79 wins each.

Even the Giants, with 76 wins, still have a breath of (unlikely) hope.

The last week and a half in the National League is going to be crazy.

Baseball is really something else. You play pretty much every day for six months and when it's all said and done, you can make the playoffs by a game or two that you either stole or gave away at some point in the last 180 days.

Alan sent me an e-mail regarding Orioles broadcasters being involved in the post-game celebration on Sunday after the playoff clincher against Tampa Bay and he used a word that I thought was particularly interesting.

"Drew, while I agree that it's up to the team to decide if they want broadcasters and analysts in the locker room, don't you think the real responsibility lies with the broadcasters? Is it possible for them to celebrate with the team and still maintain their objectivity? It seems to me they run the risk of becoming very jaded by allowing themselves to get that up close and personal with the team they're supposed to cover for the fans."

The interesting word, as underlined, is "objectivity".

I don't want to write the second edition of War and Peace here, so I'll say this: Broadcasters who work for the team are already running a little low on objectivity just because they do, in fact, draw a paycheck from the team (indirectly).

And that is not intended to be a slap at them or a criticism. It just is what it is.

So I'm not sure celebrating with the team after Sunday's game is going to make any of the broadcasters, analysts or other media folks less objective.

Is it a dicey part of the business, celebrating with the team you cover, report on, etc? Of course it is.

But I don't think enjoying the post-game revelry is going to swing any of those people to suddenly no longer be objective in the event they have to be critical of a player, managerial decision, etc.

They are all already somewhat predisposed to being less objective. In the case of the Orioles, specifically, every person who works on a team radio or TV broadcast has heard the famous quote numerous times along the way: "I expect our broadcasters to bleed a little orange and black."

And I'm here to say it's "that way" in every city, every team, every organization, etc. The Orioles aren't any different than, say, the Braves, Cowboys, Lakers or Capitals.

When you're a broadcaster working (essentially) for the team, you're going to do your best to be fair and even-handed, but you're always going to lean more towards favoritism than criticism.

And I just don't think partying with the team after a playoff clinching win is going to make them any less objective.

But thanks for the e-mail, Alan. It's certainly an interesting subject in these parts now that we have -- wait for it -- a PLAYOFF BASEBALL TEAM!

And now, let's talk about the orange elephant in the room. You know, the one John Angelos most certainly is trying to avoid with all of his heart.

His name is Gunnar Henderson.

Angelos and the Orioles would be well served, right now, to cook up a lengthy contract extension for Henderson that starts to (hopefully) create a career-long relationship with the Orioles in Baltimore.

They need to buy out the remaining years of his rookie contract right now.

I have no idea if these numbers are accurate or not, but I'm guessing you could get Henderson right now, at age 22, for something like 7 years, $200 million.

His agent would do backflips to get that kind of deal for a 2nd year player and Henderson would still be a free agent at age 29 when he could pull off one of those 8-year deals somewhere for a bazillion dollars.

The Orioles will never get him any cheaper than they get him this off-season.

Here's something else to think about: I'm not saying he's the league MVP this season. But go ahead and name three more players in the league other than Shohei Ohtani who deserve MVP consideration above Henderson in 2023.

I'll wait right here with you while you try to come up with three.

The Rodriguez kid in Seattle? Sure, fair enough. He's had an unreal year. There's one.

Who else?

Yandy Diaz has enjoyed a really nice year in Tampa Bay and he's one of the main reasons their offense didn't collapse after the departure of Wander Franco, but Gunnar's numbers are better. They just are.

I'll save you the time since I know you're struggling.

There's no one else besides Julio Rodriguez in Seattle (and Ohtani, obviously, who is going to win again) who has meant more to their team in 2023 than Gunnar Henderson has meant to the Orioles.

Henderson is not only the Rookie of the Year in the A.L, he could be a legitimate candidate for MVP.

Without Henderson, the Orioles would not be leading the A.L. East. It's that simple. His offensive and defensive contributions have been that important and that spectacular that the Orioles would be a second place team without him.

There's nothing that kid hasn't done this season or can do. This isn't hyperbole: He's the best baseball player the Orioles have had since Eddie Murray.

And if the Orioles are smart, they'd start cooking up a way to pay him now, get a few extra years out of him after his rookie deal expires, and show him, right away, that they intend to make him an Oriole forever.

Or, they can be dumb and cheap and just let him spend the first six years of his career in Baltimore and the last 12 years of his career in New York, Boston, Chicago or Los Angeles.

Sign Gunnar to an extension...now.

And last but not least, I'm guessing most of you have seen the story from New England where a Patriots fan was killed on Sunday night after he got involved in a fistfight with a Dolphins fan.

I have no idea what happened, how it started, who said something they shouldn't have said, and so on.

But a man lost his life -- with his son right there next to him -- because he went to a football game and got into some sort of altercation with another man.

I think we all know, or can at least rightly assume, that alcohol was somehow involved in the incident. Generally speaking, two sober, aware, cogent adults aren't going to fight like that in a football stadium. In a boxing ring, maybe. But not in a football stadium.

I bring this up today to remind you of two things.

When you're attending a sporting event and someone around you is behaving in a manner that you don't approve or appreciate, do your very best to not confront them yourself. Use the stadium text line or conveniently get up to use the bathroom and report them to security.

Second, nothing you do at a football game settles anything. It doesn't matter if they're wearing a Steelers jersey, Colts jersey, etc. Let people come to the stadium and enjoy the game and their team. Don't incite or aggravate them, because you never know what might be coming your way.

We don't need to lose any of you, or any fan for that matter, because you said something you shouldn't have said or you reacted to something in a way you shouldn't have.

It's a football game.

In the end, who cares?

Tuesday September 19, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3311

revelry, cakewalks and meaningless points

There was quite a bit of chatter here and on social media platforms on Monday concerning broadcasters and team-affiliated media members participating in the Orioles post-game celebration following Sunday's playoff-clinching moment at Camden Yards.

I received several e-mails asking me to address it.

It's a very slippery slope for several reasons.

The biggest of those reasons is the obvious one: If the team endorses its various broadcasters and analysts enjoying the celebratory revelry, you would almost look out of place if you elected not to participate.

In other words -- "Everyone else is doing it, so why shouldn't I?"

But that's actually where the issue begins, I think.

Should the organization endorse it in the first place?

I think that's a tricky one.

They are paid employees of the team, after all. And it's not out of line in the least for front office members -- of any capacity, from sales and marketing to public relations to scouts and game ops folks -- to be given a moment to celebrate with the team in the wake of things like clinching playoff spots, division championships, etc.

But there's something about broadcasters that is different.

Or it's supposed to be, anyway.

I understand their role with the team and I totally relate to the fact that they are there from start to finish, for 162 games. They travel with the team, have coffee, lunch and dinner with everyone and see the players and manager virtually every single day from March through September/October.

Broadcasters -- and team "officials" who travel with the team -- also get to see the sometimes ugly side of things, too. They observe and learn things about the players that, let's just say, wouldn't go over very well if they were ever revealed publicly.

I'm painting that picture to simply reiterate that other than actually throwing strikes, fielding grounders and hitting home runs, broadcasters and affiliated media members serving as show hosts, analysts, etc. are part of the fabric of the organization that the general public might not otherwise understand.

Do I think it looked odd to see Kevin Brown getting doused with champagne and partying with the team in the post-game celebration?

A little bit, yes.

But that's really not on Kevin Brown. Or Melanie Newman. Or Rob Long. Or Geoff Arnold. They were in the locker room because the team allowed them to be in the locker room.

And to that end, who are we to judge that?

Someone asked in the comments section if Blast broadcasters were part of our locker room celebrations after division titles and such were clinched?

They were not.

But I can distinctly remember Art Sinclair and Charley Eckman joining me, Kenny Cooper, Jim Pollihan and several other front office members at the Richfield Tavern outside of Cleveland, Ohio to celebrate a playoff clinching victory over the Force. The team (and a few front office folks) celebrated in the locker room, with the players, and then we took Art and Charley out for a private get-together after the game.

And when the Blast won the MISL title in 1984, both Art and Charley were given championship rings by owner Bernie Rodin, a tradition that has been part of sports in, well, forever. Team broadcasters almost always get championship rings. It's totally normal and natural.

If I ran a team would I allow the broadcasters into the locker room to celebrate with the players? I honestly can say I don't know the answer to that. My first, knee-jerk reaction is "I would not want that."

But I might cave in to the excitement of the moment, too. I just don't know.

As I noted above, those people are with the team through it all, day in and day out. They don't knock in a winning run or save a game, of course, but they are incredibly important in the overall scheme of things, particularly in this generation where every game is on radio and TV and pre and post game shows are critically important to the overall production of the broadcast(s).

I would say, in landing the plane on this subject, that this is really entirely about what the team is comfortable with and what they're not comfortable with.

And then it's up to the broadcasters to decide if they want to be involved or if they feel like it might be too much of a conflict of interest.

Times change.

John Steadman, Bill Tanton, Bob Maisel, Lou Hatter...four names from the 70's and '80s that would never have celebrated with the Orioles or Colts. But they also wouldn't have been employed by the News American and/or the Baltimore Sun and the team at the same time.

Back then, it would have been considered a major conflict of interest for Bill Tanton to write about the Orioles and commentate on the games and be in the locker room as both a media guy and a team employee.

Here's how much the times have changed. I can remember, vividly, taking Mike Preston, Sandy McKee, Melody Simmons or Doug Brown to lunch when I was the Blast's media relations guy in the 1980's and those four all saying, "I have to pay for my own lunch. The Sun won't allow me to accept a free lunch from you." They wouldn't even let me buy them a $12.00 reuben at P.J. Cricketts back then.

It's also worth pointing out that the Orioles aren't the only organization in town guilty of employing media members as team broadcasters. The Ravens have had TV guys serve as PA announcers, radio play-by-play guys, pre-season football analysts, etc.

In the end, what happened on Sunday afternoon in the locker room might look odd. But if the team's OK with it and the people who participated are OK with it, what's the point of us outsiders concerning ourselves with it?

This AFC North is going to be a complete cakewalk for the Ravens in 2023. Now, I'll preface that, of course, by saying, "As long as Lamar stays healthy."

But if Jackson stays upright for 17 weeks and assuming the Ravens don't get CRUSHED with injuries to 10 or 12 starters, they're going to win the North with one arm tied behind their back.

Cleveland's season isn't completely over, but after losing running back Nick Chubb last night, any hopes they had of making the post-season are all but gone. If the Browns win 8 games, I'd be shocked. Deshaun Watson is basically just another quarterback and they just don't have enough offense to beat any really good teams.

The Browns' defense is good. But how many times can they win 16-13? Not many, I'm guessing.

The Steelers are lousy, as we saw last week when they got throttled by the 49'ers. Don't let last night's win over Cleveland fool you. If Chubb doesn't get hurt, no way Pittsburgh wins that game. The Steelers' offensive line is dreadful. If Pittsburgh wins 8 games, I'd be stunned.

And the Bengals, as we saw on Sunday, are swimming upstream. Burrow is hurt, their offensive line isn't very good, and their secondary is clearly suspect. It's not out of the question that the Bengals could piece together a 10 or 11 win season, but I'd bet they win less than 10 before I'd bet they win more than 10.

I don't think Burrow is anywhere near 100%. My casual wager is he doesn't finish the regular season as the Bengals' starting quarterback.

The Ravens will waltz to the division title. All things being equal (injury wise), they'll go 5-1 in the division and roll to a 13-4 record. I could see them losing at home to someone like the Dolphins and I can understand a loss at Jacksonville, San Francisco or maybe even the London game vs. Tennessee.

But unless there's some bizarre turn of events, this AFC North will be sewed up by Christmas.

It used to be a great division.

Now, it's pretty much a two-team race every year and the one team that's been really good in the last two years (Cincinnati) just doesn't have it this season.

Cakewalk time for the Ravens. Enjoy it.

There was an incredible amount of shock, laughter, disbelief and outrage on Sunday afternoon when the Rams kicked a last second field goal to lose 30-23.

It was, of course, a gambling issue that caused the uproar.

The 49'ers were (mostly) a 7.5 point favorite in the game. Some places had them at 7 point favorites, but most wagering apps and betting facilities had the 49'ers at minus 7.5 when the game kicked off.

With the score 30-20 and the clock ticking down, the Rams were trying to get in position to either score a TD and try an onside kick or kick a field goal and try an onside kick. They needed 10 points. It didn't matter if they got 7 first and 3 next or 3 first and 7 next.

With four seconds left, Sean McVay sent the field goal kicker out there to attempt a kick that would make the final score 30-23.

Everyone involved knew the game was over once the kick was completed.

Even the TV guys knew it. "There's four seconds left in this one," the play-by-play guy said. "The kick will knock off the final seconds and the 49'ers are going to win this game."

And that's what happened, exactly.

The kick was good, the clock hit 00:00 as the ball sailed through the uprights and the final score was 30-23 instead of 30-20.

And if you had the 49'ers minus 7.5, you were sick to your stomach.

Of course, if you had the Rams, you were thrilled.

But this was the bad beat of all bad beats. And it wasn't just a "bad beat". It was a mysterious bad beat.

Why kick that field goal?

Just because you could?

Or was there something else going on?

I'm not a subscriber to conspiracy theories.

Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone.

Neil Armstrong very much did walk on the moon.

Sandy Hook was real and those were not "actors" involved in some elaborate skit to start the anti-gun movement in our country.

Terrorists from al-Qaeda flew airplanes into the two buildings in NYC on 9-11-01.

Conspiracy theories? I don't have much time for them.

But I can't for the life of me figure out why Sean McVay called for a field goal there when he knew, for sure, that the game was over when his Rams attempted the kick.

If he thought MAYBE the field goal could get made with one second left on the clock, what, then would have happened with the onside kick? There would have been no way to pull off that play in one second.

If the answer is as simple as: "There were four seconds left and we wanted to score points," so be it.

But here's what was really odd. No one asked McVay about it after Sunday's game.

You mean not one member of the Rams' press corps found it beyond bizarre that the coach called for a field goal with four seconds remaining that ultimately covered the spread for his team but in no way had a chance to alter, change or otherwise impact the outcome of the game?

I don't know what's more odd.

McVay calling for the field goal.

Or no one asking him about it after the game.

Either way, it was beyond bizarre.

I didn't have either team, from a wagering standpoint, so I couldn't care less what happened.

But I found the whole thing really, really strange.

I'd almost go as far as calling it suspicious, even.

	RANDY MORGAN on American soccer
Americans are playing more and more of a vital role in international soccer these days, and Randy Morgan has his eyes on all of them for #DMD. Each week here, he looks at recent performances of American players and highlights upcoming games of importance.

u.s. soccer september in review

The US men’s soccer team convened for a pair of friendlies last week during the September international window. The exhibition games against Uzbekistan and Oman marked the return of coach Gregg Berhalter after he was re-hired during the summer.

The team came away with two wins, though that was to be expected against the relatively meager competition.

This was not the toughest set of opponents for the USMNT. Uzbekistan and Oman came into this window as the 73rd and 74th place teams in the FIFA rankings.

For comparison, the US was 11th in those rankings. While it would be preferable for the team to get tested against better opposition, there were scheduling constraints that limited the options for this window.

With Europe playing qualifiers for the next Euro Cup and South America playing their first rounds of World Cup qualifiers, there weren’t many high quality teams available to play friendlies in the US. The rumor is that the US was scheduled to play Brazil and Argentina originally, but when South America moved up their qualifying schedule they had to make other plans.

In Uzbekistan and Oman the US got to play two teams that could be facsimiles for the weakest opponent they might face in the group stage in 2026. With that in mind, winning both of these games on home soil was kind of the bare minimum.

Though they finished with a 3-0 win over Uzbekistan, it was a mediocre performance where they struggled to find many clear chances. The 4-0 win over Oman was the more impressive performance, with some free flowing attack and more successful patterns of play.

That being said, Uzbekistan did manage a 3-3 draw with Mexico in the game following their loss to the US, so perhaps getting the win shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Given the level of opponents, there isn’t an abundance to learn from these games. They mostly represented an opportunity to get the first choice team back together under Berhalter to re-familiarize with both his concepts and each other as teammates.

Berhalter did have nearly all his first team available for this window, with just Tyler Adams and Gio Reyna missing out due to injuries.

There wasn’t much experimentation as far as the lineup selections go, with both games featuring mostly the first-choice starters. New arrival Kristoffer Lund did make his debut as the starting left back against Oman and Malik Tillman got a chance to prove himself as an attacking midfielder in that game as well. Both played decent enough to remain in consideration going forward but neither jumped off the screen.

Among the top things learned during the two games was that the team may have had a decent backup for Tyler Adams hiding in the starting lineup all along.

For the second time this summer, Yunus Musah looked comfortable playing in the deepest role in midfield. While the midfield three was fairly fluid in the first game and closer to a double pivot in the second game, Musah was frequently the one that dropped back to provide an outlet for the back line.

The AC Milan man was comfortable playing on the turn and even provided some improved ball progression from what Adams brings. The huge caveat here is that the team was not significantly tested defensively, and that is where Adams really stands out. So the absence of Adams may be felt more severely against stronger teams.

However, against weaker opposition, the switch from Adams to Musah may not represent a dramatic drop off and could even provide some benefits in attack.

Another insight from the two games is that Berhalter appears to be experimenting with a more attacking 4-2-3-1 formation.

Compared to the 4-3-3 that the US mostly deployed in the last cycle, the 4-2-3-1 gets one additional attacking option on the field.

The tweak might be the best way to get all three of Christian Pulisic, Tim Weah, and Gio Reyna on the field together. In the Oman game that was the preferred setup, with Malik Tillman playing the Reyna role and it produced some flowing attacking soccer.

The next thing to take from this set of games was that club form is not always that important for projecting international performance. Sergino Dest demonstrated this during the last cycle, often playing well for the US despite rarely playing for Barcelona and AC Milan.

In this window it was Chris Richards who delivered two solid performances at center back even though he has seen limited minutes for Crystal Palace this season.

Weston McKennie was another example of this. He looked like a midfield maestro for the US, pinging pinpoint crossfield passes all game against Oman despite playing out of position at right wing back thus far for Juventus.

Finally there was Ricardo Pepi, who scored an excellent goal in each game. Pepi made a positive move up the pecking order of the Dutch Eredivisie this summer to perennial contender PSV, but he has work to do to crack the lineup. However, in the US context he seems to be motivated by the arrival of Folarin Balogun, providing competition at the striker spot.

Balogun scored the opener against Oman for his part, and displayed his all around skill set throughout the first half, making runs in behind as well as linking play with the midfield.

This brief window did not provide any startling revelations, but it did allow the main group of starters to reset under Gregg Berhalter, and to begin the slow build to the 2026 World Cup.

While the US will not have a real competitive test again until next summer’s Copa America, they will get some solid competition in their two October friendlies against Germany and Ghana.

Monday September 18, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3310

not a "fluke", "lucky" or "ref aided"

I've received so many insane e-mails over the years that I've now started replying to the contributor to ask if, in fact, they were serious when they hit the "send" button.

Yesterday was one of those occasions.

Jason Boendryl sent a gem to me at 5:33 pm last night.

I wrote back and asked two things: A) Was he serious? And, B) Could I publish his e-mail today and use his name, "giving you (him) full credit, of course", as Mr. Hand once said to Jeff Spicoli.

Jason replied almost immediately. "You're damn right I'm serious. And you can publish my e-mail and my name, I could care less."

It drives me nuts that people don't know it's "I couldn't care less." Alas, lots of people use "I could care less", which is even more maddening. How, as a human being, can you make that mistake? But I digress...

Jason sent me this e-mail. He claims to be a Ravens fan "through and through", but I have my doubts. I'm thinking he's a closet Bengals fan disguised as a Ravens fan in an effort to stir me -- and by extension, you -- up. It's not going to work, though.

It turns out Jason is just a goofy troll. Or completely dumb about football. One of the two.

Here's his e-mail.

"I'll start off by saying I'm a true blue Ravens fan, through and through. So don't get mad at me and think I'm not a fan because I am. But I hope I'm not going to go to your website tomorrow and see you bragging about how the Ravens beat the Bengals when you know like the rest of us that it was pretty much the luckiest win of the whole year. Burrow was clearly hurt, the refs robbed the Bengals of a turnover when Lamar fumbled, and the Ravens were very lucky to not get hit with a roughing the passer penalty on the series when Gino Stone intercepted the pass at the goal line. I love the Ravens but that was a fluke to beat the Bengals like that. When they win like that it takes away from the fact that they have a lot of things to work on and if we don't fix them we're going to get blown out later on this season. Please be the voice of reason on Monday and tell it like it is. We were lucky to win and the refs helped us big time."

I have no idea where to start.

The Ravens went to Cincinnati without Ronnie Stanley, Tyler Lindenbaum, Marcus Williams, Marlon Humphrey and J.K. Dobbins.

And they won.

Nothing else matters.

Was Joe Burrow hampered by a calf injury? Maybe. Who cares? It's football. Guys get hurt. Sometimes they play with an injury, sometimes they don't. Like last year, when Lamar had an "injured knee" and couldn't play. His back-up had to play. That's football.

The refs? Really? That's where you're going?

They're bad every week. In every game. Ask the Broncos, who had a 2-point conversion stolen from them on the final play of regulation because the officials didn't see pass interference that everyone else in the country could see.

Was that a soft "hands to the face" penalty on the Bengals on the play where Lamar fumbled the ball in the second quarter? Maybe. Again, is that what we're going to do? Go through every penalty to determine if they were legit or not? They could probably call a penalty on almost every play. Give me a break.

Patrick Mekari didn't allow one of the best pass rushers in the league -- Trey Hendrickson -- to even smell Lamar's cologne, let alone take him to the ground. How is that "luck" or a "fluke"? By all accounts, Hendrickson should have had a field day against Mekari. But football happened. The other guy tries, too, remember.

Oh, and let's make sure this is clear: The Baltimore quarterback outplayed the Cincinnati quarterback. By a lot.

And by the way, do you know Lamar has never lost to the Bengals in Cincinnati? That's right, he hasn't. Granted, he's only 3-0 against them there because he's missed a few games in the Queen City in his career, but stats don't lie. Lamar owns the Bengals in their building.

So let's cut out the "luck" and "fluke" stuff and let's acknowledge that the refs stink in almost every game and both teams usually benefit and get the shaft -- in the same game -- depending on the tone of the contest, who is owed a make-up call and, from what I can see, what the score is at that moment.

The Ravens beat the Bengals in every phase of Sunday's game.

Deal with it.

They completed mitigated the impact of Ja'Marr Chase, which, as I mentioned here yesterday, was a promiment key to a successful defensive game plan. Don't look now, but Mike Macdonald has done a very good job of scheming against Burrow and the Bengals offense in the four games between Baltimore and Cincinnati in his brief tenure.

If you recall, Macdonald pretty much shut down the Cincy offense in last season's playoff game but Tyler Huntley forgot how the play was supposed to be run on the QB sneak and the Bengals won on -- wait for it -- a "fluke play".

Lamar wasn't sacked once on Sunday, although it's fair to point out he wiggled out of two or three take downs with some of his usual, nifty footwork. That said, the Ravens offensive line was more than credible in yesterday's 27-24 win. They won the battle in the trenches, Jason.

Oh, and Odell Beckham Jr. only played half the football game. I forgot to mention that. The Bengals lost to Nelson Agholor, a rookie (Zay) and Rashod Bateman and his gimpy foot. Cincinnati has Chase, Higgins and Boyd. They couldn't beat the Ravens with those three standouts, each of whom we'd gladly take in Baltimore. How is that a "fluke" or "lucky"?

These so called Ravens fans crack me up. The team wins and they're still crying.

It was a road win. Against a division rival. Without five key players. I don't care if it was 3-2, 7-6 or 51-50. It was a win. And a good one, at that.

And here's the thing. And I don't want this to sound "Jason like" when I say this.

It was a big win for the Ravens. But it was a huge loss for the Bengals. Cincinnati is now 0-2. Both losses are in the division. Almost 90% of the teams that start the season 0-2 miss the playoffs.

Now, it's fair to point out two things -- A significant portion of those stats came when only six teams made the playoffs. Seven make it now. And the Bengals did start 0-2 last season and still managed to win the AFC North, you probably remember.

But this is different. The Bengals are now 0-2 to start the year and 0-2 in the division. In order to win the AFC North, it's VERY likely Cincinnati will - at the very least - have to sweep the final four games in the North this season. Good luck with that.

And the bet here is Joe Burrow's calf injury is "something". I'm not saying he's going to be out for the season, but it's not a bruised forearm that gets better in three weeks. He's going to be bothered by that injury all year. Watch and see.

The Ravens are in good shape. They have a "ho hum" win over the Texans and a really nice win over the Bengals. They'll be 3-0 after next Sunday's 31-9 win over Indianapolis.

The Bengals are in trouble. They have the Rams in Cincinnati next Monday night. That's not a 2-foot putt. They could lose that one, too.

Sunday's loss to Baltimore wasn't a back breaker. But they're going in for x-rays, let's put it that way.

As for Jason, I hope this wasn't too "braggy" for you.

Come along for the ride with the rest of us and enjoy the season. The Ravens have a good team. If you're going to whine about their wins, I'm not sure there's much hope for you.

so now it's their division to lose

OK, so the big series with the Rays is over and it went just fine. The Orioles won two. And Tampa Bay won two.

Both teams qualified for the post-season yesterday, but only the Orioles celebrated. They reveled with a one-hour session of champagne and beer bongs while the Rays packed up quietly and headed for home.

To the victors go the spoils, as the saying goes.

All the O's really needed was one win out of the four game series, but two was more than enough. The 2-2 split gives Brandon Hyde's team the equivalent of a 3-game lead with 13 games remaining.

It's not over quite yet, of course, but "O" and "V" are on the wall and "E" is getting holes drilled in it to be hung sometime this week.

The Orioles are in great shape at 93-56. They now head to Houston to take on an Astros team that's fighting for the A.L. West title and just lost 2 of 3 in Kansas City to the lowly Royals.

Tampa Bay has the L.A. Angels at home. Baseball's a weird game and all, but it would be hard to imagine the Rays losing even once in the upcoming 3 games series with the Ohtani-less Angels.

Sunday's win over the Rays was one of those "magical days" where the Birds were all but extinguished twice and managed to produce game-saving hits with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th and 10th innings. I realize Kevin Brown is a tad over the top in his exuberance during the broadcasts, but that was one exciting final 30 minutes yesterday. Down and out, twice, and yet the O's just wouldn't quit.

Winning the division would be a massive benefit to the Birds.

Let's not get it twisted. We're all adults here. If the O's somehow fail to win the A.L. East armed with a 3-game (basically) lead with 13 games remaining, they will have coughed up a valuable opportunity.

Tampa Bay still has to do their own winning, of course, but this is clearly the Orioles division to lose at this point.

All things being equal, you'd rather be 2 up with 13 games to play instead of 2 down, right?

The O's have carved this season into a 13-game sprint. You have to assume something like 9-4 will be more than enough to win the division. 8-5 might even do it.

Those two wins on Saturday and Sunday vs. Tampa Bay were massive.

As I mentioned here on Friday, I saw a lot of shameful bellyaching from supposed O's fans after the 7-1 loss on Friday night. All they needed was a win to get back on track, which they earned on Saturday. And then, on Sunday, it was Orioles Magic 2023.

Ain't the beer cold?

	"Randy On The O's"
Randy Morgan takes #DMD readers through the recent week in Orioles baseball as the Birds try to lay claim to the 2023 A.L. East title.

Week Record: 3-4

eason Record: 93-56

AL East Standing: 1st Place (+2 on TB; clinched WC at minimum)

Magic Number: 10

Player of the Week: Gunnar Henderson

We are going to the playoffs Baltimore!!

After dropping the first two of a pivotal four game series with the Rays, the O’s once again fought back to avoid the sweep and then split the series with a dramatic late comeback on a Sunday that will go down as one of the greatest regular season Baltimore sports days.

The Orioles actually secured their spot in the postseason just before they rallied back against the Rays, when the Guardians’ win over the Rangers went final. Then, shortly after the Ravens picked up a crucial road upset over the division rival Bengals, Adam Frazier ignited the Camden Yards crowd with a two-out double down the line that scored Jorge Mateo to send the game to extra innings.

After the Rays got two completely lucky high choppers to score their run in the 10th, Adley Rutschman capped off a big night at the plate with an RBI single to pull the Birds back even.

DL Hall kept the Rays off the board in the top of the 11th, setting the stage for Cedric Mullins to drive in Rutschman with a deep sac fly to give the O’s the victory and the series split.

Though it was technically a losing week for the Birds, going 3-4 over the two series, it certainly feels more positive with the way it ended. By securing the split with the Rays, the O’s clinched the season series and with it the division tiebreaker. So despite losing a game off their lead to the Rays over the week, it essentially remained a three game lead with the tiebreaker included.

The week started off with some offensive fireworks, with the Birds lighting up the Cardinals pitching on Monday in an 11-5 win. It wasn’t a great start from Dean Kremer, who failed to make it through the fifth inning, but he was picked up by strong nights at the plate from Gunnar Henderson, Aaron Hicks and Cedric Mullins.

Unfortunately after Monday, the bats went silent for several days. Despite the chance to face two severely struggling starters in Adam Wainwright and Drew Rom, the Orioles offense went cold. John Means made his return to the team on Tuesday, providing a decent enough start to keep the team in the game, giving up three runs in five innings.

However the offense had a miserable night with runners in scoring position, squandering several chances for a big inning against Wainwright and falling 5-2. It was also a former Towson University player, Richie Palacios, who came off the bench to hit two home runs and ultimately do the O’s in.

Wednesday was the nadir for the offense, as the team was completely shut down by the pitcher they dealt to the Cardinals for Jack Flaherty.

Drew Rom held the Birds scoreless for 5 ⅓ innings and the Cards bullpen did the rest, spoiling a great bounce back start from Kyle Gibson, who gave the O’s 6 ⅔ innings of one run ball. Once again it was Palacios who provided the only offense of the night with a solo homer.

The O’s kicked off the Rays series with a tight 4-3 loss. A Luke Raley homer off Kyle Bradish in the 7th inning was the nail in the coffin, but the O’s really lost this one in the 5th inning when they loaded the bases with no outs and only managed one run, with Adley grounding into a double play to end the inning.

Kyle Bradish was mostly solid again, giving up three runs in one bad inning before regrouping to make it through seven innings and preserve the bullpen a bit.

Another top O’s prospect debuted in this game as well, when Heston Kjerstad was brought on to pinch hit in the 8th inning. Quite a tense spot to make a debut and Kjerstad ended up striking out in the at-bat.

Friday saw another poor start from Jack Flaherty doom the O’s to a 7-1 blowout loss. Flaherty started strong, mowing down hitters for the first few innings, but then fell apart quickly and was out before the end of the 5th inning.

Heston Kjerstad did fare better in this one, providing the only run of the game for the O’s with a bomb to right field for his first hit and home run.

The team rallied back on Saturday with perhaps their best all-around game of the season. Grayson Rodriguez was lights out once again, delivering eight innings of shutout pitching with no walks and seven strikeouts.

This was a night where the future came to life right before our eyes. Along with the magnificent start from the top pitching prospect, runaway Rookie of the Year candidate Gunnar Henderson exploded for a 3-5 night and another long homer. The home run was his 27th of the season, tying Eddie Murray for 3rd most for an O’s rookie.

The series finale was covered above, but if Saturday was the most complete win, Sunday was certainly the most dramatic and most fun. It marked just their second win coming from behind in the 9th inning this season, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.

There was really no debate about the player of the week this time. With a hat tip to Grayson Rodriguez for a phenomenal outing to turn around the Rays series, Gunnar Henderson had a special week.

As we head down the stretch run of the season, the names that Gunnar is placing himself next to are among the legends of the game. At this point he is a virtual lock for AL Rookie of the Year. Not only that, after a week where he batted .323 with three homers, seven runs, and five runs batted in, Henderson has put himself in the conversation of greatest Orioles rookie of all-time.

The closest comparison is probably Cal Ripken’s 1982 Rookie of the Year season, and by some metrics (including Baseball Reference WAR), Gunnar is well ahead of that one (6 WAR for Gunnar to 4.7 WAR for Cal).

Either way it's quite clear that this kid is a truly special talent, maybe the likes of which we haven’t seen in this town in several decades. There’s a pretty good argument to be made that he’s already the second best shortstop in the majors. I’d certainly put his defense over the last several months up there against anyone. On top of that, he is just a joy to watch playing the game.

Down on the Farm

As the minor league season winds down, only Norfolk and Bowie remain in action. Norfolk is preparing for their playoff series thanks to their first place finish in the first half, while Bowie missed out on the AA playoffs.

Jackson Holliday continued to settle in at AAA this week, batting .250 and also walking five times, getting stronger as the week went on.

With Heston Kjerstad getting promoted up to the big leagues, Coby Mayo represents the biggest power prospect at Norfolk and he lived up to it this week. Mayo hit .350 with five walks this week, pushing his AAA OPS up to .891 for the season. He remains an intriguing prospect given his young age for the level and the glut of infielders ahead of him.

Also at Norfolk, one of the O’s top pitching prospects, Cade Povich, had a stellar start on Saturday, going six innings and giving up just three hits and no runs with eight strikeouts. Povich, along with Chayce McDermott and Seth Johnson, give the O’s some interesting competition for the starting rotation next year.

Down in AA Bowie, it was fast-rising prospect Samuel Basallo who finished his season strong. Basallo racked up several extra base hits this week to finish his short AA stint with a remarkable 1.167 OPS. He will probably start in Bowie next season, but if he can show the same rapid growth next year, the sky's the limit.

Question of the Week

We could ask what’s up with the infatuation with Jorge Lopez out of the bullpen or why Jordan Westburg is not getting more regular playing time. But after such a joyous conclusion to the week, let's keep it positive today. So our question of the week, coming off the series split with Tampa Bay, what do the Orioles need to do to wrap up the division title?

It’s only by a simple twist of fate that the Orioles are even in a race for the division crown. If they were in any other division in baseball they would have nearly locked up the title already.

However, the Rays have remained a formidable foe, managing to hang with the Orioles despite the loss of perhaps their best pitcher in Shane McClanahan and top field player Wander Franco.

So, here the O’s stand, with essentially a three game lead and thirteen games left to play (only eleven for the Rays). The magic number for the Orioles sits at ten games, a fitting number after the weekend where Adam Jones retired as an Oriole.

Taking a look at the remaining schedules, the Orioles have a tough three game road series with Houston forthcoming. But after that, they finish out their last ten games against teams that are out of contention.

They’ll conclude their last road trip with four games in Cleveland to finish this week, then they’ll return home for two with the hapless Nationals and four with the floundering Red Sox.

If the O’s go 10-3 or better in those games, it won’t matter at all what the Rays do. Realistically they won’t need to play that well to secure the division crown.

The Rays face a slightly tougher slate to finish out their season. They have Monday off, then will see the pushover Angels for three games. Then it gets a bit tougher as they face a Toronto team fighting for their playoff lives in six of their last eight, three at home and three in Toronto. In between those series they will play two in Fenway Park against the Red Sox.

So if we are generous to the Rays and give them a sweep of the Angels, a slight edge on Toronto and a split with the Red Sox, then they’re looking at something like 8-3 in their last eleven. If they manage that, the Orioles would need to go just 7-6 in their final thirteen. That seems quite doable for this team, which doesn’t seem to have any quit in them.

This Week –

We mostly covered this above. The Orioles head to Houston on Monday for three with the Astros. The Astros enter the week just 5-5 over their last ten, which has allowed the Rangers and Mariners to hang close in the race for the West.

Monday will be a tough matchup with John Means scheduled to square off against Justin Verlander. After that it looks like the O’s will get Hunter Brown the following night and Wednesday’s starters are still TBD.

They will head to Cleveland after the Houston series to take on a Guardians team that is out of playoff contention now. They also enter the week winning five of their last ten.

	#DMD GAME DAY Week 2 Sunday — September 17, 2023 Issue #3309
	Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals 1:00 PM EDT Paycor Stadium Cincinnati, OH Spread: Bengals (-3.0)

The folks who set the odds on NFL games clearly don't know what to think about today's matchup in Cincinnati.

Traditionally, the home team is gifted three points right from the start. The betting line then gets tweaked from that point depending on the various strengths and weaknesses of the two teams.

Before I even looked into today's game, I assumed, knowing what we all know about the Ravens' injury list, that Cincinnati would be a 5.5 point favorite in today's game.

The Bengals are 3 point favorites.

No Ronnie Stanley.

Tyler Lindenbaum is out as well.

Safety Marcus Peters isn't playing.

We all presume Marlon Humphrey isn't going to be out there as well.

And Mark Andrews is still listed as questionable with the injury that kept him out of last Sunday's season opener.

The Bengals come into the game licking their wounds after a 24-3 loss to the Browns a week ago today.

3 point favorites? That's all the oddsmakers feel like the Bengals are worth in this one?

That sure seems odd to me.

While others around town are already bemoaning a 10 or 14 point Ravens loss, I don't see it that way. Sure, missing Stanley could be a factor. There's no two ways about that. Keeping Lamar upright and his jersey clean will be a massive undertaking for the Ravens today. And an important one, too.

But Lamar's offensive weapons are mostly intact, minus J.K. Dobbins, of course. If Andrews comes back, that's icing on the cake. But Jackson still has OBJ, Zay, Bateman and a couple of tight ends to throw the ball to throughout the afternoon.

One small area of concern as it relates to Stanley's absence is that none of the Baltimore tight ends are decent blockers. So any help Todd Monken plans on giving over on the left side gets watered down just a bit by the fact that guys like Kolar and Likely just aren't very solid in the blocking department.

But from a "weapons" standpoint, Lamar has enough to get by today. Gus Edwards and Justice Hill can handle the bulk of the ball carrying duties although I suspect we'll see a fair amount of Lamar running the ball along with a few sweeps involving Flowers and Duvernay.

We're not going to make any kind of final judgement on Todd Monken today, but we're going to learn a lot about him this afternoon in Cincinnati. Let's see what he has cooked up for the Bengals on a day when his offensive unit is far from full strength.

Defensively, it's a bit scary with (likely) Humphrey and Williams both sidelined. If Joe Burrow has a big day, the Ravens could need to put up 28 or more to win this one. Ja'Marr Chase is one of the best receivers in the game and Tee Higgins -- to borrow a term from Judge Smails -- is no slouch, himself. The Bengals can also run the ball well when necessary, too.

The biggest key in the game today will come in the form of the Ravens being able to hold the Bengals to field goals. Cincinnati generally moves the ball well between the 20's on the Ravens. But can they get into the end zone?

If the Bengals cash in 3 or 4 times when they're in the red zone, the Ravens are probably in trouble. If Baltimore can hold the Bengals to just one or two touchdowns, then we have ourselves a football game in Cincinnati.

The three key parts of the game are obvious:

1. Keep the Bengals off of Lamar -- It's not like Cincinnati is a modern-day version of the Purple People Eaters or anything like that, but if they're able to generate successful line penetration and hassle Lamar throughout the game, the Ravens are potentially in for a long afternoon. One or two sacks is fine. Five or six? Not so fine. (Editor's note: If you don't know who the Purple People Eaters were, you're missing out on some great NFL history).

2. Don't fall behind by a big margin -- For the Ravens to stay in this one, they have to keep it close. What they need to avoid, big time, is some kind of early two-TD deficit. If the Ravens can just plod along, keep it close, chew up some clock, keep Cincy's offense off the field, etc., they have a real chance to steal a win today. I could be wrong on this one, but I don't see the Ravens winning a shootout today. Something like 20-17 or 23-20 is the way Baltimore wins this game.

3. Contain Chase and Higgins -- This one's easier said than done, which is why Mike Macdonald gets the big bucks, but the Ravens have to figure out a way to keep Chase and Higgins in check. If those two have big days, it's not going to be a pleasant afternoon in Cincinnati. Either by getting a pass rush on Burrow or bracketing Chase and forcing Higgins to be the go-to-guy, the Ravens somehow have to keep those two receivers from running amok on them.

What do I think happens today?

I think the combination of injuries the Ravens are dealing with is too much to overcome. Vegas clearly doesn't think so, as they basically see this one as "even" by making the Bengals only a 3-point favorite at home.

I just don't see how the Ravens can win without the two offensive linemen and their depleted secondary. But I also don't think they're getting blown out because, for the most part, the Ravens generally acquit themselves well in Cincinnati.

I see this one as a 23-19 Cincinnati win, with the Bengals trailing 19-16 midway through the 4th quarter before Burrow hits Higgins with a TD pass from 14 yards out. It's a representative performance from the Ravens, for sure, and one of those "nothing to be ashamed about" losses that leaves us feeling hopeful in Baltimore.

I hope I'm wrong.

	BET IT ALL PAUL and his weekly NFL picks
Bet It All Paul lives in the nicest house in his Harford County neighborhood because he knows NFL football. Did you bet a thousand on the Eagles making the Super Bowl last year? Paul did. Follow Paul's lead this season and you can live in a nice house too!

I joked with Drew that I should only pick Thursday games after I hit the Eagles/Vikings game this week. I think last year on Thursday nights I only lost 3 times.

I'm back with my weekend NFL picks. I hope you have a great Sunday watching and betting on the various games. For those of you had Aaron Rodgers and the Jets going far this season, I'll offer you a brief moment of silence. That was a bad scene on Monday Night Football.

Here are my picks for this week.

Packers at Falcons (-2.5) -- This is a bit of a tickler because both teams were surprisingly good last week. I think the Green Bay defense can hold off the Atlanta offense so I'm going with the Packers and taking the 2.5 points in this one.

Raiders at Bills (-8.0) -- Which Buffalo team shows up? I think that's the question everyone has going into this game. I'm going to take Buffalo and the 8 here but mostly because I don't think LV is very good. Go with the Bills and the points.

Seahawks at Lions (-4.5) -- I'm only 35 years old so I don't know as much about the Lions history as a lot of people but I figure this is the kind of game the Lions typically lose after they stun the world by winning in Kansas City in their season opener. Seattle and the points is my play here. Take the 4.5 points and make the Lions beat you by 5. Go with the Hawks.

Chargers at Titans (+2.5) -- L.A. has to bounce back after that loss to Miami at home last Sunday. If the Titans couldn't beat the Saints they're not beating the Chargers. Los Angeles wins this one easy. Take the Chargers and give up the 2.5.

Bears at Buccaneers (-2.5) -- Tampa Bay had the surprise win of the week last Sunday. It set me back a car payment, I'll be the first to admit that. Funny, they're as much of a lock to win this week as they were a lock to lose last week, in my opinion. Take Tampa Bay and give the 2.5 to Chicago. Bucs win by double digits in this one. This is my Play of the Day.

Chiefs at Jaguars (+3.5) -- It's too bad this game was a Sunday night mid-November game, I think it would be highly anticipated. I am playing both ends of this one. I think the Jaguars cover but K.C. wins on a late field goal, maybe even in OT. Take Jacksonville and the 3.5 at home.

Colts at Texans (-1.0) -- This is the worst game on the schedule this week. I don't even know what to think. Having seen how bad Houston was against the Ravens I don't know how they're going to win, but I don't know how the Colts are going to score any points either. I can see this one ending 17-16 in favor of Houston. We'll take the Texans and give up the 1 point and hope it's 17-15 and not 17-16.

49'ers at Rams (+7.0) -- This is one of the highest spreads you'll ever see for a divisional game early in the season. I think the 49'ers are going to the Super Bowl and I think they win today but I'm not giving the Rams 7 points at home. We're taking Los Angeles here in a game we see S.F. winning 27-23.

Giants at Cardinals (+4.0) -- This is another game where the home team is getting a lot of points. We'll take Arizona and the 4 in this one. It's the second worst game on the schedule after Indy/Houston. But if you're betting it, take the home team.

Commanders at Broncos (-3.5) -- I have DC Commanders as a playoff team this year and if they are going to make it these are the kind of games they have to win. I'm not a Russell Wilson fan at all so I don't play Denver much, even when they're at home. We're taking the Commanders in this one and the 3.5 points. Washington DC wins outright 20-19.

Jets at Cowboys (-8.5) -- Dallas wins easly in this one although I think the Jets are still going to be a tough team this season because of their defense. But the Cowboys roll in this one and win by double digts. Take Dallas and the points.

Dolphins at Patriots (+2.5) -- I have Miami going to the Super Bowl so you'll see me riding with them all year long. If they are going to beat out Buffalo in the AFC East division this is the kind of game they have to win. We're taking Miami tonight and laying the 2.5 points on the road. I don't think the New England offense can score enough points to keep up with Miami. Dolphins win 30-20.

Ravens at Bengals (-3.0) -- I'm a Ravens fan through and through but this one goes to Cincinnati today, 34-17. Take the Bengals and lay the 3 points. Too many injuries for the Ravens in the wrong places.

Cleveland at Pittsburgh (+2.5) -- It has been a long time since the Browns were road favorites in Pittsburgh I bet. This is the classic NFL trap game after the Browns beat the Bengals last week and they're riding high off of that upset. We're going with the Steelers and the 2.5 points here, winning outright by a field goal.

Saints at Panthers (+3.0) -- This is one of the more puzzling spreads of the week IMHO. I don't see how New Orleans is a 3 point road favorite. I like this Carolina team and I think they could be one of the more surprising teams in the league. I love them in this spot on Monday night, getting 3 at home in front of a national TV audience. We're taking the Panthers plus the 3.

Feeling Froggy Upset Special: Belichick's plan to stop Tua works and Pats win 24-21.

3-team parlay: Buccanneers, Panthers, Commanders

Two Totals Special: Dolphins/Patriots (over 46.5), Colts/Texans (under 39.5)

Big Play Of The Day: Cowboys (-8.5), Chiefs/Jaguars (over 51.0), Tua over 300 yards passing, Diggs (Buff) over 100 yards receiving.

that wasn't so pathetic last night, was it?

The haters in town were awfully quiet last night.

I kept checking Twitter (X) to see all of the moaning and crying, but there was none to be found.

An 8-0 win over the Rays will shut a lot of mouths, apparently.

Grayson Rodriguez pitched 8 innings and Gunnar Henderson beat the Rays by himself. That's pretty much the summary of last night's game, which, coupled with Texas losing to Cleveland, gives the Orioles a chance to clinch a playoff spot with a win today in the series finale with the Rays.

You might recall that way back in late March, I told you the O's were going to make the playoffs in 2023.

Many of you laughed at that.

Guess who gets the last laugh?

Back in early June on Glenn Clark Radio and throughout the summer here at #DMD, I told you the O's were going to win the A.L. East. I hope you wagered accordingly.

Sure, there are 14 games left. And today's contest with the Rays looms large, as a Baltimore win would basically give Brandon Hyde's team a 3-game lead with two weeks remaining.

A Tampa Bay win today and it's dead-even, again, although the O's own the tiebreaker, so that's basically a one-game advantage.

Last night, though, was one of those "Chamber of Commerce" nights where everything went right for the O's. EVERYTHING.

They couldn't buy a hit on Friday night.

Last night, every ball they hit found grass.

And everything went in Baltimore's favor throughout Saturday's game.

They worked themselves out of a couple of innings with defensive double plays and even got a gift from the replay official late in the game when Ryan O'Hearn was pulled off the bag at first base and everyone watching the game (and the replay) saw that the Tampa Bay runner was safe...except the replay official didn't see it that way.

Rodriguez was superb all night, particularly early on when he shut down the Rays 1-2-3 in the first three innings as the O's built a comfy 4-0 lead.

Henderson recorded three hits in his first three at-bats, including a big home run where he stood at the plate for a second or two too long and generated some angry chirping from the Tampa Bay dugout. Not only was his bat en fuego, but #2 made several sparkling defensive plays in the game.

Gunnar makes the real deal look less legitimate. That kid is some kind of baseball player.

So today's series finale sends Baltimore to Houston with either a 2-game lead or the Rays and O's are tied for first with two weeks left in the season.

The good news for the Birds? Houston is scuffling at the moment, having dropped two straight in Kansas City. The Astros and Rangers both have 66 losses in the A.L. West.

The bad news? Houston needs wins, big time, so this upcoming series will be "playoff baseball" for them. The O's will get the best Houston has to offer, for sure.

Saturday September 16, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3308

i must be seeing it wrong

OK, so the facts are the facts. The O's have dropped four straight at the worst possible time, including two straight to the team chasing them in the A.L. East.

Tampa Bay throttled the Birds last night, 7-1, in front of a sold out but crestfallen crowd at Camden Yards.

It's not good.

But it's also far from over. There are still 15 games remaining.

I read commentary here and on social media and I see a lot of quitters.

I must be seeing it wrong. I think the fun is just beginning, honestly.

15 games. It's almost 10 percent of the entire schedule. Still remaining to be played.

Here's to hoping the O's don't roll over into that fetal position that a lot of you have.

Last night's loss might look like it was on the pitching staff -- 7 runs will do that -- but it's the bats that have suddenly gone silent. The O's didn't get their first hit on Friday until the 6th inning and finished the evening with two hits in total. I'm no Casey Stengel, but I don't think you're beating anyone with two hits.

It's also fair to point out the Rays have guys on scholarship too. Their record is nearly identical to Baltimore's and they have something in their DNA that these Birds don't -- winning. The Rays know how to do it. The Orioles are learning how to do it.

Oddly enough, if Brandon Hyde's team wins tonight and tomorrow, the standings will look exactly like they did when Tampa Bay pulled into town on Thursday. Except the O's will be two games ahead with 13 left to play.

The pressure is on the Rays to continue this march. They know if they lose one of the next two that means the O's win the season series and the tiebreaker, which effectively puts Baltimore up one extra game in the standings. Unlike the past, where a tied division got decided by one-game playoff, now the division crown simply goes to the team with the better record in the season series.

The Birds have to win one game.

Tampa Bay has to win two.

Again, math wasn't always my strong point at Glen Burnie H.S., but I'd rather be the team that only has to win one of two instead of two of two.

I'm certainly not avoiding the subject of "choking" or anything like that. It's inevitable that as the importance of the games gets racheted up, athletes (not just baseball players, but all athletes) tend to overthink things. They get in their own way, as the saying goes.

Choking in sports is very real. Just ask Greg Norman.

But I'm far, far from labeling these Orioles "chokers". They have 15 games left. It's a sprint now, and the guy they're running against is equally as fast, but folks here and on social media are howling at the moon like the Orioles had a 12-game lead on August 25th and now it's all gone.

Calm down a little.

And let's see where things wind up in a couple of weeks. Don't forget, the Rays have to play other teams as well. It's not like, even if they win the next two, that they've suddenly put the A.L. East in a duffel bag. The pressure will then be on them to finish what they started and the O's will be the team in pursuit.

But first, we have these two remaining games with the Rays to watch.

One win is huge.

In this case, for the Birds, one win almost equals two, really.

Losing 3 of 4 to Tampa Bay wouldn't be great, don't get me wrong. But that one win would be massive if the O's can get it either tonight or tomorrow.

There's a lot of baseball remaining, which a lot of people here who claim to understand sports are apparently forgetting.

Remember when Tampa Bay started the season 13-2? That was a 15-game stretch of baseball.

That's how much of the 2023 season remains.

It's far from over. Both the Orioles and Rays have to continue winning after this series in Baltimore concludes. If the O's go to Houston and lose, or drop 3 of 4 in Cleveland, that damage is similar to what they're experiencing this weekend.

Remember when Ryan McKenna dropped that fly ball in Boston in the second game of the season? You know, the fly ball that would have been the third out in a victory?

If he catches that fly ball, the O's are a game ahead right now instead of even with the Rays.

All the games matter.

Those two losses to St. Louis earlier this week were damaging, just like a loss to the Rockies a couple of weeks back left a mark.

People are putting a lot of stock in the last two games with the Rays because they were at home and Friday's contest was one of the more highly anticipated regular season home games of the last decade.

And they do matter a little bit more because of the division standings. There's no two ways about it.

But all 162 games have the same basic level of importance. When the season ends, the team with the most wins gets the prize.

I still think the Orioles are going to rise above the Rays and win the division. This four-game slide isn't great, but it's also not the end of the world.

I don't think the Birds are going to quit, either. They just need a win to get their chakras back in line, that's all.

And if they can win one of these last two games, at the very least, that will do wonders for their division title chances.

There's a lot of baseball left, folks. Be a professional and hang in there for two more weeks.

Oh, and at times like these, I think some of you need to be reminded about what we've endured in Baltimore for 17 of the last 20 years prior to 2023.

Two words for you: TERRIBLE. BASEBALL.

You want 60-102 with 9-3 losses every other night in front of (supposedly) 11,982 at the ballpark or do you want a first place team with the city energized beyond belief, playing a huge home series in mid-September in front of big crowds?

Some of you people forget about 2004, 2008 and 2018.

This is the first time in a while that mid-September baseball in Baltimore has actually mattered and I see people crying like they just got their bike stolen from the lake house.

This is fun.

Sure, losing isn't fun, but that's part of the deal.

If you could win every game, you would.

But you can't.

So you get back at it the next day and see what comes of it.

I don't know much, but I know this: The baseball season in Boston and New York is already over.

But it's not over in Baltimore.

There's a lot of baseball left to be played in Baltimore.

Enjoy it. And stop being a Debbie Downer, would ya?

Friday September 15, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3307

not what we were hoping for

I kind of figured Tampa Bay would win one of the four games in Baltimore this week.

They were never getting swept, I thought.

So far, I'm spot on. The Rays aren't getting swept in this series and they have won one game, at the very least.

I hope last night's 4-3 win over the Orioles was the only game they win, though. This thing is now officially a dogfight for the A.L. East title with two weeks remaining in the season.

Luke Raley's 7th inning homer was the difference, although the real difference in the game was the work of the Rays' bullpen. Tampa Bay's final four pitchers didn't allow one base hit in their four innings of work. They did to the O's what the O's have been doing to everyone else all season.

A nice crowd of almost 25,000 saw it live. I don't have the energy to research these sorts of things, but that has to be the best weeknight crowd in Baltimore since the days when the Yankees and Red Sox fans invaded the stadium back in the mid 2000's. That was a "real" baseball crowd last night, invested in every pitch and deeply into the game. It felt, as a number of players said afterwards, like playoff baseball.

And so the Birds now lead the A.L. East by just one game, but the all important loss column has the O's with two fewer defeats (51 to 53) in the 2023 campaign.

Tonight is the "reverse lock of all time" at Camden Yards.

Jack Flaherty is pitching for the Birds. Every morsel of information you can find points to him and the O's getting drilled tonight by the Rays.

"Flaherty goes tomorrow night, so now we're tied for the division lead with 15 games left," someone wrote on Twitter (X) last night after the 4-3 loss was in the books.

Pessimistic much?

I get it. I've fallen victim to it as well. Flaherty's been pretty lousy since coming over from the Cardinals. His first start vs. Toronto was excellent and he's been OK at other times, but for the most part it's been less than impressive from the right hander.

So tonight, naturally, he'll probably go 5.2 innings, strike out 7, allow 3 earned runs, and leave the mound to a raucous ovation with a 5-3 lead.

I don't bet much baseball, frankly, but this one tonight feels like one of those games where everything points to Tampa Bay winning 7-3 and they're instead going to lose 7-3.

If, though, Flaherty goes out there and stinks it up again and can't make it out of the 4th or 5th inning, you have to really start to wonder about his spot on the O's post-season roster.

Right?

If John Means is effective in his final two (?) starts, it feels like the O's would go with Bradish, Kremer, Rodriguez and Means in the post-season, with Kyle Gibson available for an emergency start of some kind or long relief work in the event one of the aforementioned four gets roasted early in a playoff game.

I wouldn't go as far as saying Flaherty is pitching for his playoff roster spot tonight. But I think he's tiptoeing into that area, for sure. A great start this evening would do wonders for him. A bad start could seal his fate.

Let's hope he's up for it.

The Rays, you can sense, feel the tide turning in the A.L. East. The O's have now dropped three straight and are headed to Houston for a Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday series with the Astros, who are locked in a fierce battle for the A.L. West crownd at the moment.

Tampa Bay figures if they win 3 of 4 in Baltimore, then it's "game on" from there. But they have to win at least two more in the series and the O's aren't going down without a fight.

They'll be playing in front of a rare sellout crowd this evening at Camden Yards, as the O's welcome back Adam Jones for a night of celebration.

How convenient of the Birds to decide now is the proper time to show their appreciation for Jones. It works out perfectly.

All we need is stellar mound work from Jack Flaherty and the losing streak ends and the division lead stretches back to two games.

No matter what happens tonight, though, what we're seeing this week -- despite the losing -- is far, far, far better than anything we experienced in 2018 or 2019 when the O's were going through the motions in September.

I haven't lost faith. I still the Birds are going to win the division. It might not happen until the final few days of the regular season, but I think we're still on course for a division crown.

That said, meaningful September baseball, even if a few games here and there don't go as planned, is still light years more exciting than seeing Manny Machado fail to run out a sharply hit grounder or watching the O's bullpen blow another 5-3 lead by giving up two in the 8th and two more in the 9th.

As Natalie Merchant of 10,000 Maniacs once said: "These are days you'll remember..."

Thursday's clown shoes moment of the day went to ESPN.com for this shabby, click-bait headline about American golfer Dustin Johnson.

Dustin Johnson says defection to LIV Golf cost him Ryder Cup spot

It piqued my interest for sure.

"This buffoon knew all along he wasn't going to make the Ryder Cup team if he went to LIV, why is he crying about it now?" I said to myself as I bit the hook and clicked the story from ESPN.com's main page.

Except Johnson didn't really blame his plight on LIV Golf.

He blamed not making the Ryder Cup team on exactly what he should have blamed it on: his own poor play.

ESPN.com figured that nifty headline would coax knuckleheads like me into clicking the story to see Johnson lash out at captain Zach Johnson, the PGA of America, and anyone else in his path.

"Zach Johnson doesn't have the first clue about being a Ryder Cup captain," I assumed I'd see Dustin Johnson say. "I'm better than four or five guys he added to the team. But because I went to LIV, everyone's all scared about adding me to the team. It sucks. They all suck. I hope they lose 18-10 over there."

That's what I thought I was going to see, based on the headline.

Instead, I saw Johnson -- Dustin, that is -- telling the world what we already knew. His golf wasn't good enough to warrant being added to the team.

His buddy Brooks Koepka is a Ryder Cup member in 2023. He swallowed his pride last year and joined LIV just like Dustin Johnson and the other Americans did. Koepka, though, happened to play outstanding golf early in the 2023 campaign and, while he fell short of an automatic selection, was a natural captain's pick for Zach Johnson.

Koepka's golf: Good.

Dustin Johnson's golf: Not Good.

The ESPN.com headline should have read: "Johnson laments season of poor golf after Ryder Cup snub"

DJ wasn't added to the team because he played poorly, not because he jumped to LIV.

"I would love to be a part of the team," Johnson told The Palm Beach Post. "But to be honest, I haven't really played that well this year."

That's it.

That's all you have to say.

Johnson went on to mention that he felt like not playing the PGA Tour full time cost him a chance to catch Zach Johnson's eye more, but it was really his play in the majors that was the determining factor. Koepka's play in the majors earned him a spot on the team. DJ's play in the majors earned him a seat on his couch in two weeks.

"If I would have played a little better at the majors, I think I definitely would have had a really good chance to be on the team," Johnson said. "But just struggled a little bit in the majors this year, which happens."

Correct again.

Except ESPN.com chose to present a fib in their headline in an effort to generate clicks. Rat finks.

Dustin Johnson didn't make the Ryder Cup team because his golf didn't warrant it.

There's the story.

Any other words or headlines avoid the truth.

faith in sports

We're a few days past September 11, but I knew all along this week I'd want you to watch this particular entry from the extraordinary faith-based series called "I Am Second".

Sujo John has an amazing story. I don't want to spoil one second of it by giving you any hints, but I think this is an important 9 minute video for you to watch.

John left India in February of 2001 and wound up in New York City. He and his wife both got jobs in the World Trade Center. That's where the story begins.

Please take a little less than 10 minutes to watch this today. I think you'll find it incredibly captivating.

Thursday September 14, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3306

richie who?

The Orioles lost two nights in a row to some guy named Richie Palacios.

OK, there's actually a local connection with Palacios. He played baseball at Towson University for my friend Matt Tyner, who coached Palacios during his days as a Tiger.

Light-hitting Palacios showed up in Baltimore with one home run on the season.

He left town with three. The second baseman hit two home runs in the 5-2 St. Louis win on Tuesday, then accounted for the only run last night with a 4th inning homer off of Kyle Gibson.

The O's bats were, in a word, "lousy" on Tuesday and Wednesday. They lost to Adam Wainwright and his 87 miles-per-hour fastball on Tuesday, then got shut down by Drew Rom on Wednesday.

In case you think you've heard Rom's name in these parts before, that's because you have. He was sent to St. Louis at the trade deadline as part of the deal involving Jack Flaherty.

Rom looked like the second coming of Clayton Kershaw last night in picking up his first Major League win against the team that dumped him six weeks ago. Figures, right?

There was additional bad news from Wednesday's 1-0 loss in the form of a Ryan Mountcastle shoulder injury that appears to be serious based on the way Mountcastle looked and sounded in his post-game interview.

"I took a swing and felt something pop. It doesn't feel very good," a somber Mountcastle said when asked about the injury.

A crowd of just over 14,000 crammed their way into the ballpark for last night's pitcher's duel.

So the O's own a 2-game lead over Tampa Bay (3 in the loss column) with the Rays coming to town for four games starting tonight at Camden Yards.

Tampa Bay's Aaron Civale takes on Kyle Bradish this evening. The O's need a win tonight given that Flaherty is pitching tomorrow night. Two O's wins in this series with the Rays is fine. Three would be great. Four would salt away the division, basically.

Let's move on to something a little more positive and tackle some e-mail questions, shall we?

Hank asks -- "I'm not sure Baltimore understood what they were seeing this week when Goldschmidt and Arenado came to town with St. Louis. You're talking about two of the best National League players over the last 15 years. Both of the are sure fire Hall of Famers right? And who are your top 3 other "Under Appreciated Players" from this era of baseball? Thanks, Drew."

DF says -- "Yes, both of them are Hall of Famers. Arenado has been an elite defensive player (despite what we saw in Baltimore) over his career and while his offensive numbers might have spiked in Colorado because of the excellent hitting conditions, you still have to play half of your games on the road. He's had a great career.

Goldschmidt is one of the best offensive players of this generation. I'm not sure if the two of them are first ballot guys because those goofs who vote for the HOF like to make people wait just because they can. But they're both Hall of Famers and there's no real debate about it.

Top three under appreciated players in today's game?

I think Bryce Harper gets a lot of grief, for some reason, but he's a great baseball player and he'll be in the Hall of Fame someday down the road for sure.

Joey Votto is another guy who doesn't get nearly the credit he deserves. He's been a bit injury prone the last few years but at his zenith, Votto was an outstanding player. He won't get to 3,000 hits and that might impact the slam-dunk Hall of Fame vote, but he should get in someday.

And the same for Andrew McCutchen. I'm not sure we've ever truly appreciated how talented that guy is. He did win a league MVP award once, but I'm not sure we've ever appreciated how reliable he's been throughout most of his career. He's been the National League's version of Adam Jones with a couple of really elite seasons along the way."

Brett asks -- "I just wanted you to know your buddy Springsteen won't refund anyone their money from the show he just cancelled. When I went to get my $200 back, I was told there are no refunds until a make-up-date is announced for the concert. I hope he enjoys all that money he's hoarding. 40,000 seats at $100 a ticket. The guy is a first class jerk."

DF says -- "This is a troll attempt, right? Tell me it is. Please tell me you're not serious. Please tell me you don't really believe that, A) Springsteen is the one making the call about refunding people's money and, B) He gets to keep the ticket money that is generated through his shows.

You don't actually believe those two things, right?

Springsteen gets a flat-fee for each show. It's rumored to be $2.85 million for this particular tour. He gets that whether there are 22,000 there or 44,000 there.

He doesn't get that money in advance of performing. He doesn't get ticket money wired into his account, either.

If anyone is hoarding your $200, it's Ticketmaster. They're the ones holding the money.

I mean, it stinks that he had to cancel the show in Baltimore, but this faux outrage because you can't get your $200 back right away is wildly out of place. If there's no show, you'll eventually get your money back from Ticketmaster. If there's a show, you'll be happy and it will be well worth your $200 and then some. Either way, you're good."

Chris Penroy asks -- "Settle a bet with my Ravens tailgating crew. We have a few guys who say there aren't five quarterbacks in the league they would take over Lamar. I say there are at least five. And I told them you'd agree with me. Do you? (I hope you do, we all read the Dish every day)."

DF says: In no particular order: Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes, Trevor Lawrence, Justin Herbert, Josh Allen.

Those are the five I might take over Lamar.

I'm not really 100% sure I'd take Allen or Herbert over him. I definitely would take Burrow, Mahomes and Lawrence over him. The other two? I'm just not sure.

I'd throw Jalen Hurts and Tua in there, too. I'm not 100% convinced they're both better than Lamar, but I think they're worth discussing and evaluating.

I'm guessing this means I'm agreeing with you, but if I am, it's only by a slim, narrow margin."

Matt P. asks -- "I was in Atlantic City over the weekend and put bets down ($50 each) on one of these five teams to win the Super Bowl. Tell me how crazy I am or how I might wind up winning a whole bunch of money. New Orleans, Detroit, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Dallas."

DF says -- "Do I think any of those five are winning the Super Bowl? I do not. But if February rolls around and Detroit or Dallas is in the Super Bowl, I guess I wouldn't be overly shocked. They both fit the profile of a team that has some of the components you need to make a Super Bowl run. But the Lions are the Lions. And the Cowboys never put it all together in the playoffs.

Pittsburgh: Zero chance.

Cleveland: Not much of a chance.

New Orleans: Not much of a chance.

The other two: Maybe.

Here's the best thing about it: It's only $250. You'll survive.

Garth asks -- "Longtime reader, first time writing in with a question. Is there any way at the last minute the U.S. could substitute Tiger Woods into the Ryder Cup and take someone's place who gets "injured", if you know what I mean? I saw he was on Twitter hitting golf balls at the driving range and there was some speculation that he was getting ready for another comeback."

DF says -- "I think the media clip you're referencing was of Tiger at a sponsor's clinic and he was hitting one handed pitch shots with a sand wedge. I have no idea if he's actually hitting full golf shots, yet, but he underwent surgery back in May and I'm 99% sure he's not actually playing golf yet.

The answer to your question is a resounding "no". Tiger Woods is not going to somehow get moved onto the U.S. Ryder Cup team. The team is set. If there's an injury to a current player on the team, they'd replace the injured player with someone like Keegan Bradley or Lucas Glover, not Tiger Woods."

Scott Kenney asks -- "For your Q&A - Complete this sentence, please:

The one thing I can't believe about the 2023 PGA Tour golf season is:

The one thing I can't believe about the 2023 baseball season is:"

DF says: The one thing I can't believe about the 2023 PGA Tour season is Scottie Scheffler didn't win a major championship.

The one thing I can't believe about the 2023 baseball season is how bad the New York Mets were."

C.M. asks -- "What's your opinion on the new rule in MIAA soccer where they don't play overtime in the regular season?"

DF says -- "I don't get it. I mean, what's another 10 minutes? You've played 80. Why not play 90? Or 95? Last year (and other years) there were two, 10-minute sudden death OT periods. What's wrong with that? If you score in the first minute of OT, the game took 81 minutes instead of 80.

I don't understand why anyone would be "good" with having games end in a tie. In any sport. It's 2023. Figure out a way for someone to win.

And for the record, we have ties in the regular season in MIAA golf and I think that's silly, too. We have some daylight issues early in the season (late March, early April) but if we had to play one or two sudden death holes to decide a winner, I'm pretty sure we could make it happen."

	RANDY MORGAN on American soccer
Americans are playing more and more of a vital role in international soccer these days, and Randy Morgan has his eyes on all of them for #DMD. Each week here, he looks at recent performances of American players and highlights upcoming games of importance.

european soccer recap for august 2023

The arrival of the first international break for European club soccer marks the end of the first month of the season.

The top leagues have all completed their first three or four games and have all seen the transfer deadline come and go. So, let’s take a look at what transpired over the month of August and how the title races are shaping up in England, Italy, Germany and Spain.

England –

In the Premier League it looks very much like the more things change, the more they stay the same. Manchester CIty remains the class of the league with a perfect record through four games.

They have kept their success rolling despite losing star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne in the first game to an injury that may keep him out most of the season. Erling Haaland has not slowed down one bit, continuing to ransack the league, scoring six goals in four games to lead the league.

Arsenal still lead the pack chasing down Man City. They have already seen some solid play from their high priced offseason addition, midfielder Declan Rice, who scored a late goal to secure a win against Manchester United in their last game before the break. One slip up, allowing a late corner kick goal against Fulham for a draw, cost them two points and put them off City’s pace.

Three other teams sit tied with Arsenal on ten points. Tottenham, Liverpool and West Ham have all started off the season well. Tottenham has looked like a completely changed team under new coach Ange Postecoglu. His more fluid attacking style has their offense thriving despite the departure of club legend striker Harry Kane to Bayern Munich.

Liverpool has revamped their midfield with the additions of World Cup star Alexis Mac Allister and Bundesliga standouts Wataru Endo and Dominik Szoboszlai. They look to be a contender once again after an uncharacteristic 5th place finish last year.

West Ham is the surprise team near the top of the table. After battling relegation last season, West Ham has managed three wins out of four, including impressive victories over Chelsea and Brighton. They have been led by new midfielder James Ward-Prowse.

Just below that group is Brighton with nine points. Their blazing attack has continued where it left off last season, notwithstanding the losses of star midfielders Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo. Brighton has benefited from an excellent start from the attacking trio of Karou Mitoma, Solly March and Evan Ferguson, making them one of the most fun teams to watch in the league. After a surprise 6th place finish last year, Brighton looks like a real threat to challenge for the Champions League places this year.

Several of the preseason favorites have had some rough going in the first month. Most notably is Manchester United, who seemed poised to be a true title threat in the second year under Erik ten Hag.

Instead they have been disjointed and ineffective while trying to integrate several new arrivals including Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund. Their two losses have been to Tottenham and Arsenal, but they weren’t convincing in wins over Wolves and Nottingham Forest.

They will have to hope the international break allows for a reset, because they come out of the break with a game against Brighton and follow that with a Champions League matchup with Bayern Munich.

Chelsea continues to be an overpriced mess of a team. New coach Mauricio Pochettino has yet to turn this collection of stars into a cohesive team. They also do not have the excuse of a tough schedule as they have played just one game against the other top teams.

Newcastle United has also gotten out to a slow start in a season with increased expectations after earning a spot in the Champions League last year. However, they have had a difficult early schedule, losing to Man City, Liverpool and Brighton after a dominant opening day win over Aston Villa.

Italy –

In Serie A, the two Milan teams lead the pack in the title race, both with perfect records through three games. Inter has yet to give up a goal and Lautauro Martinez paces the league with five goals. AC Milan has kept pace with the help of several shiny new acquisitions, including Chrisitan Pulisic.

Reigning champions Napoli are three points off the pace as they adjust to a new coach. They surprisingly managed to hold on to most of their key players despite heavy interest from the richest clubs in Europe over the summer. Last season’s leading goal scorer is on track to start the season with three goals in three games.

Juventus is trying to reclaim their glory with a revamped squad and sit just two points off the lead while playing a pragmatic though not all that exciting style under Max Allegri.

Germany –

Thus far there is no indication that the Bundesliga is not Bayern’s league once again. High profile addition Harry Kane has quickly integrated with his new team, scoring a goal and providing an assist in his debut for a 4-0 win over Werder Bremen. With Kane in tow, Bayern has a perfect three wins from three games, sitting tied atop the table.

Through the first month, Bayer Leverkusen looks like the most capable challenger to Bayern’s throne, impressing with a high flying attack that leads the league in goals scored en route to a perfect three wins. New acquisition Victor Okoh Boniface has been the breakout star of the young season, leading the league with six goals and assists.

Top four finishers last season, RB Leipzig and Union Berlin remain near the top of the table with six points each. Leipzig has looked dangerous with a highly revamped team after losing several key players in the offseason. Key transfer acquisition, Xavi Simons has impressed in his first month in the Bundesliga with two goals and three assists in the last two games.

Last season’s runners-up, Borussia Dortmund has struggled out of the gates with just five points through three games, finding it difficult to replace the loss of Jude Bellingham at the heart of their midfield. They have also been without Gio Reyna who has yet to return from his injury in the CONCACAF Nations League with the US.

Spain –

Jude Bellingham has been the story of La Liga so far. The high priced transfer from Borussia Dortmund has been deployed at the top of a diamond midfield with Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr. on either side of him in Carlo Ancelloti’s Real Madrid.

From that more attacking midfield position, Bellingham has managed to fill some of the void left by the departed Karim Benzema. Through four games he leads the league in scoring, notching five goals and propelling Real Madrid to a perfect record and the top of the table.

Barcelona has managed to stay just two points behind Madrid with three wins and a draw, but have looked far less than impressive in doing so. Perhaps in recognition of this they made transfer deadline deals to bring in Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo to help provide some extra attacking boost.

New arrival Ilkay Gundogan has been a positive for Barcelona, but star midfielder Pedri is already dealing with injuries again, and they are a much less effective team without him.

Atletico Madrid has had a solid start and still has hopes of making it a three team race for the title. They are three points behind Barcelona but boast an impressive ten goals scored to just one goal allowed, good for the top goal differential in the league.

Team of the Month –

G: Vicario - Tottenham

D: Di Lorenzo - Napoli; Kounde - Barcelona; Bastoni - Inter; Davies - Bayern

M: Bellingham - Real Madrid; Rodri - Man CIty; De Jong - Barcelona

F: Mitoma - Brighton; Haaland - Man City; Simons - Leipzig

Player of the Month –

Jude Bellingham - Real Madrid

As mentioned in the La Liga section, Bellingham has been the story of the season so far in Spain. His jump from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid could not have started any better.

There was no bedding in time necessary for the English midfielder, as he has spearheaded the Madrid attack in a more advanced role than he played at Dormtund. With five goals through his first four games, the 20 year old superstar has already tallied more than half of the eight he scored all season in last year’s Bundesliga campaign.

Wednesday September 13, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3305

charmed life

People tend to bristle at the notion that a team or an athlete gets "lucky" on their way to victory.

It's very much a real thing, though, just like "bad luck" is very real as well.

And, so, when I say the Orioles "continue to lead a charmed life despite losing last night to the lowly Cardinals, 5-2," there's no need to take umbrage with that. It's a fact.

The Orioles continue to lead a charmed life...

Because on the night they fell at home to the Cardinals and someone named Richie Palacios, they didn't lose any ground at all to Tampa Bay because the Rays were losing their own game, in Minnesota, 3-2.

When you can't beat Adam Wainwright and that array of slop he was throwing at Camden Yards last night, you deserve to have the Rays gain a game on you. Alas, it didn't happen that way last night, thanks to the Twins.

And so it's still a 4-game lead (3 in the loss column) over the Rays, who will be in Baltimore starting tomorrow night for one of the biggest regular season series' at Camden Yards since the mid 1990's.

But let's not forget the O's still have one game left with the Cardinals tonight, too, while the Rays finish up their season in Minnesota this afternoon.

John Means made his first start in 17 months last night and wasn't terrible by....any means. (Sorry, that's just the way it came out.)

He wasn't great. He didn't remind anyone of Clayton Kershaw or Randy Johnson. But Means' start last night was decent enough to give the O's a puncher's chance at winning once they cut the 3-0 deficit to 3-2. They just couldn't get anything else going against that mediocre St. Louis bullpen.

And if it comes to pass that later this month the O's have a big game in Cleveland and there's a decision to start either Means or Jack Flaherty, I'm fairly certain I'd be more comfortable with the left hander than the trade-deadline-acquisition.

Flaherty has been so ineffective since coming over from St. Louis that there's a very real chance the Birds might have to leave him off of their playoff roster. If Means improves in his next start or two, that possibility increases even more. Mike Elias hasn't made many mistakes along the way, but Flaherty looks to be one of them.

15,000 jammed their way into Camden Yards last night for the Tuesday night loss to the Cardinals. Weeknight crowds are still generally lower-than-expected in Baltimore, but rest assured this upcoming Rays series should be a stands-filler. If Baltimore doesn't come out in droves for this 4-game series, we deserve whatever criticism we get.

And if the Birds continue to lead that charmed life and they can take 3 of 4 from the Rays, that will just about salt away the division and give the O's the best record in the American League at the same time.

After Tampa Bay, here's what the O's (and Rays) have left remaining:

Orioles -- at Houston (3)

Rays -- vs. LA Angels (3)

Orioles -- at Cleveland (4)

Rays -- vs. Toronto (3)

Orioles -- vs. Washington (2)

Rays -- at Boston (2)

Orioles -- vs. Boston (4)

Rays -- at Toronto (3)

The schedule is fairly even if you're just looking at it from 35,000 feet.

Houston will be tough next week. The Astros are in a dogfight for the A.L. West crown and it's distinctly possible that one team in that division with 90 wins might actually miss the playoffs.

The Birds get Cleveland for four. The Guardians are done, even though they might not think they are. They'll be playing hard, still, when the O's get their next week, but they'll be of little resistance I'm guessing.

The Rays get the Angels for three. As we just saw last week out in Los Angeles, the Angels have definitely quit.

Four at Cleveland (Baltimore) and three vs. L.A. (Tampa Bay) is fairly even, with a slight advantage to the Rays there.

The Red Sox are done -- playoff wise -- as are the Nationals. The O's and Rays get favorable matchups there.

Toronto will potentially still be trying, though, and the Rays will have their hands full with them in the remaining six games.

The A.L. East is all but over, friends.

The Orioles have a 3-shot lead standing on 14 tee, with a reachable par-5 coming up at the 15th hole.

All they have to do is make a few pars, avoid hitting a ball out of bounds, and they're winning the A.L. East.

The Rays would need to make a bunch of birdies coming in and have the O's falter badly to steal the division.

This weekend will tell the story.

Let's home that charmed life continues for Brandon Hyde's team.

Bill Plevyak reached out to me with a question about Ravens attendance and I thought it was worth answering here one time, as the discussion continues about the team's failure to sell out the home opener.

"In your opinion, Bill writes, how much of the Ravens attendance woes can be traced back to the kneeling incident in London?"

Let me first say this: I don't think the Ravens have attendance "woes". I think they've seen a decline in overall enthusiasm, yes, but I wouldn't categorize that as "attendance woes".

The Orioles had attendance "woes" in 2018, 2019, 2021, etc. When you're putting 10,000 people in a 44,000 seat ballpark, those are "woes".

Anyway, I just wanted to clarify that. The Ravens are definitely seeing their fair share of empty seats, but let's not act like they're seeing crowds of 40,000 on a Sunday afternoon.

But, like Colonel Jessup said in A Few Good Man, "I'll answer the question."

Is there some sort of residual impact from what happened in London still being felt today? Sure, a little bit, perhaps. I personally know of a dozen folks or so who were absolute diehards that no longer go to the games based on the kneeling incident. And if I know 10-12 people, you probably do, too.

There are probably corporate sponsors who cashed out after that incident as well. I know of one that did, at least. They were annual sponsors of the team who withdrew their support after London.

But "London" isn't the reason why the team has seen a decline in enthusiasm. For every person who stopped going after the kneeling incident, some other 24 year old with his first real job and discretionary income stepped in to buy that unoccupied seat.

The biggest "enthusiasm issue" is the most obvious one of them all: The league itself created the problem by making it more enjoyable to stay home.

Period. End of story.

All the games are on TV, somewhere. There's fantasy football at your fingertips. You can now gamble on every play, virtually, in every game that's being played.

You don't have to fight traffic. Don't have to overpay someone $40 for the "privilege" of parking your vehicle. There aren't any $18 beers at home or $10 slices of pizza, either.

All of those things start to have an appeal once you realize you can get your football fix right there in your living room.

It's just better, both economically and spiritually, to stay home and watch the game(s) there. And the league has helped make it that way over the years.

There's still something to be said for being there in person. The bigger the game, the more you want to actually be in the building. I get it. We'll see that with the Orioles as the season winds down and the playoffs come into the picture. People that didn't go to a game all season will suddenly start wearing a "Henderson #2" jersey and go to the games as if they've been a diehard fan all season long.

But in the regular season, at least, the league does a great job of giving you options. Go to the game and spend a few hundred dollars every other Sunday or just stay home and do it all within the comfy confines of your living room.

More and more people are staying home.

That's not a low blow. It's just a fact.

	RANDY MORGAN on American soccer
Americans are playing more and more of a vital role in international soccer these days, and Randy Morgan has his eyes on all of them for #DMD. Each week here, he looks at recent performances of American players and highlights upcoming games of importance.

august review: americans abroad

We have reached the first international break in the European club season. With about one month in the book for the top leagues, it's a good time to check in on the early season developments and take stock of how the Americans abroad have started the season.

American News and Notes –

There was a large contingent of key USMNT starters that were on the move this summer and began this season with new clubs. For those players the early season was about settling in and trying to work their way into the team’s plans.

For others this season is about building on their performances from last year or continuing to try to earn playing time and get off the bench as more regular contributors. On that end there has been mixed success so far.

We’ll go around the leagues and take a look at how the early season has gone for the Americans in each.

English Premier League –

Matt Turner has been the biggest story in the English top division from an American perspective. The starting USMNT goalie made the decision to move from second place Arsenal, where he only saw minutes in competition outside the Premier League, for a starting role on the more up-and-coming Nottingham Forest. So far the move is looking good for Turner.

He has had a solid first month at his new club, getting his first starts in the Premier League. Turner ranks 6th in the EPL in save percentage at 72.7% and 4th in goals prevented at 1.7.

He has been an integral part of a decent start to the season for Nottingham Forest, whose main goal this season will be avoiding relegation. His last performance may have been his best, keeping a clean sheet against a reloaded Chelsea lineup in a 1-0 upset.

Turner will need to keep it up, as Forest has also acquired Greek National Team keeper, Odisseas Vlachodimos from Benfica to provide competition.

The other main American contributions in the Premier League have come from the duo at Fulham. Things haven’t gone quite as swimmingly this season for veterans Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson and their Fulham team as they did last year.

The team over-performed their underlying metrics last year, so it was always going to be hard to reproduce their 10th place finish, but they have just one win through their first four games thus far.

Antonee Robinson has been a consistent presence for Fulham, starting all four games at left fullback, but Tim Ream has not been quite as sharp as he was last season. He received a fairly dubious red card in their second game, forcing him to miss the following game as well. He was also exposed several times against Man City, though that can happen to just about any defender.

It has been a quiet start for the rest of the Americans in the Premier League.

USMNT captain Tyler Adams secured a move to Bournemouth just before the deadline to get him away from relegated Leeds and back in the top division. However, he is still recovering from the late-season injury that forced him to miss US action this summer. The hope is that he may return after the international break in September.

Young defenders Chris Richards and Auston Trusty have yet to see the field for Crystal Palace and Sheffield United respectively in league play.

They have both been on the bench for match days but haven’t been called upon. Each of them did start in their teams EFL cup games against weaker competition, but they’ll need to keep working hard in training to earn their way into playing time in the league.

Italian Serie A –

Italy is home to four important US starters, with Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah and Tim Weah all moving to Serie A this summer.

Weah joined fellow American Weston McKennie at Juventus while Pulisic got out of a bad situation at Chelsea to join a Champions League semifinalist from last year, AC Milan and Musah followed him there from Valencia.

Pulisic seems quite relieved to be out of the jail that was Chelsea for the past couple years. Though he had some great moments at the London club, most notably scoring in the Champions League semifinal win over Real Madrid and helping them capture that trophy, in recent years the club had become a mismanaged mess.

The American star has made an instant impact at his new club, where he has teamed up with supremely talented Portuguese star Rafael Leao and former Chelsea teammate Olivier Giroud to form a dynamic attacking trio. Pulisic hit the ground running, scoring one of the best goals of his career with a long range blast in his debut against Bologna. He then added another in his second game with a nice give and go sequence with another former Chelsea teammate, Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

With Pulisic and several other new additions, AC Milan looks like a true title contender in Serie A and a team that could progress deep into the Champions League.

One of those other additions was USMNT midfielder Yunus Musah. The 20 year old arrived just after the first game of the season and has been slower to integrate than Pulisic. Musah is more of a depth option for Milan, who brought in several other highly touted midfielders over the summer.

Musah looked decent in his debut, playing 24 minutes as a substitute in a 4-1 win over Torino. The move to Milan puts Musah in a better situation than last season at Valencia. He goes from a team just trying to avoid relegation to one that will be competing for a title and will be surrounded by more talented teammates. It also appears Musah will get the chance to play in his preferred central midfield position.

He will have to fight for playing time, but with Milan in the Champions League as well as the Italian Cup, in addition to Serie A, there should be plenty of minutes to go around, and the competition should be good for the growth of his game.

At Juventus an interesting dynamic has emerged with the arrival of Tim Weah. The American attacker was brought in to play right wing back in a role that was previously occupied by Colombian international Juan Cuadrado. Weah has started in that position in the first two games for Juventus, playing the first half in week one and nearly the full game in week two.

The interesting part is that both times he was replaced by USMNT teammate Weston McKennie. McKennie also started at right wing back in week three with Weah on the bench. For most of the summer it appeared that McKennie would be on his way out of Juventus after a loan last season to Leeds United. However that move never materialized and he re-joined the Italian club.

Instead of occupying his more natural position in central midfield, McKennie has been used in the same role as Weah. This demonstrates McKennie’s versatility, but is not the best development from a USMNT perspective, since he is playing out of position and it will limit the time each can get on the field if they are directly competing with each other.

German Bundesliga –

The German Bundesliga boasts a bevy of Americans as usual, though the top USMNT stars there have yet to see much action.

Joe Scally has been the most prominent American in Germany so far this season. Now a veteran of the league, Scally continues to grind as a regular starter for Borussia Monchengladbach. Scally has maintained his role under new coach Gerardo Seoane, starting all three of Gladbach’s games.

Scally hasn’t stood out for either good or bad reasons in the early season, though Gladbach’s defense has struggled, conceding nine goals in just three games.

Brenden Aaronson moved to Germany with a transfer to last season’s fourth place finisher, Union Berlin, after Leeds got relegated from the Premier League. Aaronson started well for Union, helping to set up a goal in his debut in a 4-1 win over Mainz.

His second game was not as successful, as the American attacker managed to rack up two yellow cards in just 21 minutes and was sent off. That resulted in a suspension for the following game, so Aaronson will look to re-integrate with his team after the international break.

Aaronson looks to have a starting spot for now and Union will be competing for the top four once again in the Bundesliga and will also be playing in the Champions League.

Striker Jordan Pefok started off the season as a teammate of Aaronson’s at Union, where he moved last season. However, he gradually lost his starting spot over last year during a long goal drought and he was transferred at the deadline to link up with another US teammate, Joe Scally, at Borussia Monchengladbach.

Brenden’s brother, Paxten, is one of a pair of younger USMNT prospects playing in Germany this season. He has been a standout for the US youth teams and could be a key player for the U23 Olympic team next summer. Paxten moved to Eintracht Frankfurt last season from the Philadelphia Union and was a regular sub off the bench late in games down the stretch.

He has resumed that role this season, but in his limited minutes, the 20 year old has managed to pick up a nice assist for a game tying goal in their last match against Koln. Paxten will be trying to work his way up the depth chart at Frankfurt this season to earn more playing time or even a starting role.

Kevin Paredes is the other young American prospect to watch in Germany. Paredes has played a similar role as Paxten off the bench for Wolfsburg and likewise has started the season continuing that trend. He has seen just 23 minutes off the bench in three games for Wolfsburg, but he should get opportunities both in the league and in cup competition this season.

Lastly, John Brooks has been one of the more active US players in the Bundesliga this season. The USMNT veteran has started all three games for Hoffenheim and put up mostly solid performances, including scoring a rare goal, to help his team win two of their first three games. Unfortunately for Brooks, it seems highly unlikely he will be called back into the US team any time soon with Gregg Berhalter back in charge.

Elsewhere in Europe –

Josh Sargent was one of the brightest USMNT stories in the early season, but unfortunately it had a sad ending. Sargent burst out of the gates with Norwich City this season, scoring a goal in each of their first three games.

Sargent was freed up to play in his best position at striker with the departure of Teemu Pukki. However, in the process of scoring his last goal in the third game of the season, Sargent was injured battling for a loose ball and is reported to be out for at least the next couple months.

Fellow USMNT striker, Folarin Balogun, was waiting all summer to get a move away from Arsenal, where he was buried behind Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah. Finally with the transfer deadline approaching, a deal was completed to send Balogun to Monaco in the French Ligue 1.

So Balogun will move back to the league where he had enormous success last season, on a team with a better supporting cast. The hope is that another stellar season in France could springboard him to one of the top teams in the bigger leagues.

Similar to Sargent, World Cup scorer Haji Wright got off to a good start in the English Championship with his new team, Coventry. Wright has started two of the first five games, scoring one goal and assisting two.

In the Dutch first division, perennial contenders PSV have become a hub of American players. Ricardo Pepi moved to PSV earlier in the summer and he was followed by Malik Tillman and then Sergino Dest.

Thus far Dest has had the biggest impact, immediately stepping into the starting lineup with barely a chance to practice with the team. He put forth a strong performance in his debut in a crucial 2-2 draw in Champions League qualification against Rangers.

Dest was consistently pushing the ball into attack from his left fullback position and finished the game with 51/56 passes completed and one chance created. He continued to start in the next two games, a 5-1 win over Rangers and a 4-0 win over RKC Waalwijk.

Playing time has been more limited for Pepi and Tillman, but each has managed to score a goal in a late substitute appearance. Pepi came on against Sturm Graz and scored a penalty in a 3-1 win. Tillman subbed on in the last match against Waalwijk and scored a nice goal where he deftly took down a long ball and shook off two defenders before firing a shot past the keeper. Both players will need to put forth consistent contributions to win more playing time as there is decent competition at their positions.

Luca de la Torre is in his second season with Celta Vigo after moving to Spain in the middle of last year. Despite a coaching change, de la Torre has seemed to maintain his starting spot in midfield for Celta Vigo. He has started three of their four games and delivered mostly solid but unspectacular performances as the team has won one, lost one and drawn two, leaving them in the middle of the standings.

Tuesday September 12, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3304

for $100,000 a year...would you?

Something happened last night during the Orioles game that initiated this entry in today's edition of #DMD.

I've been watching baseball for the better part of five full decades. And I mean I've watched it. A lot of games. In both leagues.

I'm just now realizing that the St. Louis Cardinals have -- by far -- the best uniforms in baseball.

Those gray and red jerseys they wore last night were epic.

The Milwaukee Brewers logo -- you know, the one that looks like a baseball glove but it's really a "M" and "B" closely connected -- is the best logo in the history of the game. That Montreal Expos logo was awesome, too, but nothing beats the Brewers' "MB" look.

But the best uniform definitely belongs to the Cardinals. And I'm not so sure it's even close.

I'm pretty surprised at how jittery people get about attendance for both the baseball and football team in town.

It's such a taboo subject, for some reason.

I've always known it was a sensitive topic, particulary because we lost a football team due, in some (small) part, to the empty seats at Memorial Stadium. And then you had the "friends and family" crowds at Camden Yards circa 2008. There were some nights they announced a crowd of 12,000 and there might not have been 12,000 feet in the building.

But even now, when we have a football team and the baseball team is experiencing a massive rebirth, people in town still get goofy any time attendance comes up.

I'm not sure what the big deal is. The numbers are the numbers.

There were folks on Twitter (X) on Sunday who got all hot and bothered because I mentioned there were 10,000 or more empty seats in the stadium.

It's like I somehow met those 10,000 people at the gate and forced them to not enter the stadium.

Here's the deal. You can try and argue against this or counter it if you want, but in your heart you know you're wrong.

The tide has changed in Baltimore when the football team doesn't sell out the season opener.

I'm not saying the entire town has turned on the Ravens. I'm not even suggesting they've lost a substantial amount of support.

They have lost some measure of support, though. That's just a fact.

There was a time, not that long ago, when there wouldn't have been a chance that the season opener -- or any home game for that matter -- wasn't sold out.

But then on Sunday, not only did 500 seats go unsold but another 10,000 people with tickets just said, "Nah, you know what? I'm good. I'll just leave my two seats empty today."

That's not good.

You can carry the team's water if you want, but 10,000 people not showing up for the team's opening game is pretty shocking.

Oh, and remember this: We're talking about a winning franchise with one of the most electrifying players in the entire league.

This isn't Cleveland. Or Charlotte. Or Phoenix.

The Ravens are the Ravens. They're an elite franchise in the league and have been that way for the better part of 15 years.

We'll leave the baseball team out of this for now. We all know they'll start seeing an uptick in their attendance with the upcoming playoff clinching possibility and the post-season itself. With a Friday night sell-out already on the books, you can assume the Birds are going to draw 110,000 or so in the upcoming 4-game home series with Tampa Bay.

Once the playoffs roll around, an O's ticket will be as hot as ever. But on a Tuesday night in mid-May next year, they're still going to draw 14,305 folks.

Baseball is different than football; 81 vs. 8 (9) home games. You can go to a baseball game virtually any time you want between April and September. You have eight home games in football. Every one of them is an event.

So when the football team fails to sell out the season opening game, I'd call that a big deal.

People break out in hives whenever it's mentioned, for some reason. But it's a big deal. Especially in Baltimore.

And that doesn't necessarily mean the Ravens are blameless in the attendance situation. They need to look at it -- as I'm sure they do -- and wonder to themselves, "What could we be doing better (different) to ensure we're selling out the stadium?"

In the end, it's not something to ignore or downplay. When the Ravens aren't selling out the season opening game, something's wrong.

So this question, today, is a little bit "out there" as well, but unlike yesterday's about the Ravens winning or losing the season opener, this question could legitimately be asked of you.

I want you to think about this and be honest with your answer.

You're a diehard Ravens fan leaving a Ravens home game one day and a well-dressed man with a briefcase approaches you.

"If you'll switch your allegiance to the Pittsburgh Steelers, right now, for the next 25 years, we'll give you $2.5 million in cash, payble every year in the form of a non-taxable salary."

In other words, you get $100,000 a year -- in cash -- to be a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Or, New York Yankees. You can throw them in there and we'll attack this from the baseball side of things.

You draw a $100,000 salary to give up on the Ravens and/or Orioles.

And this happens to you when you're, say, 35 years old. You have to turn away from the Ravens until you're 60, at least.

And when I say "switch allegiance" to the Steelers, I mean you have to do all of it. Get the jersey, decorate your man cave, watch Steelers games exclusively, drive up to Pittsburgh two or three times a year for home games.

You'll become an outsider with your friends who go to Ravens (Orioles) games. Company tickets will go to others instead of you. You're "selling your soul" to the enemy.

And you can't say "yes" to this and then troll your way out of it. You have to seriously disconnect from the Ravens and become a Steelers fan.

And if you're willing to do it, you get $100,000 a year for the next 25 years.

Would you do it?

Seriously...

Would you?

If you say "no" to this, I think you're either completely nuts or lying.

week one nfl assessments

One week down. Sixteen to go. Sadly, it's easy to see that a bunch of teams are going nowhere fast in 2023.

Some of them are due for a down year because the talent isn't there. Others have quarterback issues. Some, like the New York Jets, just lost their starting QB and the guy who will replace him is the reason why they got a new QB in the first place.

Without further adieu, let's report on week one, how it went, and what it means to the respective teams.

AFC East --

Miami (1-0) -- Went to L.A. and won and saw Buffalo lose last night. Couldn't get much better than that for them. If Tua stays healthy, these guys are going to put up points in bunches this year.

NY Jets (1-0) -- Won but also lost last night. Their entire season went from the possibility of 11-6 to 6-11 with one tackle of Aaron Rodgers in the first three minutes of the game. Too bad.

Buffalo (0-1) -- Lost on the punt return in OT last night. Didn't look great in their opener but it's only one game. They'll be fine.

New England (0-1) -- Actually acquitted themselves with the 25-20 loss to Philly on Sunday. They're not that far away, but they can't win with Mac Jones at QB. Headed to a 8-9 kind of season up there.

AFC South --

Jacksonville (1-0) -- Likely going 5-1 or 6-0 in the division, which should be more than enough to win the division and possibly snag the #1 seed in the AFC. If Calvin Ridley is even close to the Calvin Ridley of old, watch out.

Tennessee (0-1) -- Could very well wind up being the second best team in this division but that's only because Houston and Indy might not win 8 games between them. Titans are lousy.

Indianapolis (0-1) -- They'll beat someone they're not supposed to beat along the way (hope it's not the Ravens) but this is going to be a down year in Indy. It breaks your heart like it breaks mine, doesn't it?

Houston (0-1) -- Best helmets/worst team. That's probably not the combination you're looking for. They won't go winless or anything like that, but the Texans are going to be stinky-poo-bad in 2023.

AFC West --

Las Vegas (1-0) -- Take a picture of the standings to prove it really happened. The Raiders led the AFC West for a while in 2023. Beating Denver isn't anything to brag about, but a win is a win for LV, who won't have many of them this season.

Kansas City (0-1) -- Got a visit from the old Cleat of Reality last Thursday night. Without Travis Kelce, they're a 10-win team. With him -- healthy -- they're a 13-win team. In other words, he makes a HUGE difference. They'll be there in the end, don't worry.

Los Angeles (0-1) -- Geez, these guys just can't stand prosperity can they? Got a dream "semi-marquee match-up" against Miami, at home no less, and still couldn't win. Just when you think Herbert's going to be a star, he can't beat Tua in his own building.

Denver (0-1) -- Sean Payton will eventually figure out what everyone else has already figured out. Russell Wilson isn't the answer. Broncos losing at home to the Raiders on opening day was a surprise for sure.

AFC East --

Baltimore (1-0) -- Schedule makers gave them a week one lay-up, which is always nice, especially when the QB didn't play a snap in pre-season. Injuries are starting to pile up though and that's not a good thing.

Cleveland (1-0) -- A convincing win over the Bengals on opening day? The Browns? Say it ain't so. If the Cleveland defense we saw on Sunday vs. the Bengals is the one they're going to bring to the table this season, the Browns might have something cooking in Northeast Ohio.

Cincinnati (0-1) -- The weather in Cleveland didn't help them on Sunday but seeing those Joe Burrow numbers had to be a shocker for the Bengals and their fans. They face something like "half-a-must-win" this week when they play the Ravens.

Pittsburgh (0-1) -- Got absolutely throttled by the visiting 49'ers in Sunday's opener. Can't imagine that was a fluke. The Steelers are going to be a division bottom feeder in 2023. Lose 'em all I say.

NFC East --

Philadelphia (1-0) -- Produced a very workmanlike win in New England on Sunday. Any doubts about their legitimacy in 2023 should be erased. These guys are going to be VERY good all season as long as they stay healthy.

Dallas (1-0) -- I'm not sure what to think of Sunday night's win in New York. Every single thing went right for them. Every ball bounced their way. Every break went their way. It was the Charmed Life Game of the Year for them.

Washington (1-0) -- I don't know why, but something tells me these creeps are going to have a better season than we all think. I hope I'm wrong. Well, now that Daniel Snyder is gone, maybe we don't have to despise them so much, right?

New York (0-1) -- Yikes. They're not that bad are they? That was just one of those nights. Right? I mean, for Giants' fans sake, I hope I'm right. If not, 4-13 here we come.

NFC North --

Detroit (1-0) -- Earned "Win of the Week" honors with their victory at Kansas City last Thursday night. Sure, the Chiefs didn't have Kelce, but that's still a "W" that can't be taken away. And the guess here is that might be the game that ends up being the difference between Detroit making the playoffs or not making it.

Green Bay (1-0) -- Aaron Rodgers owned the Bears. And now Jordan Love does, too. Green Bay's defense is definitely improved. If they get anything decent out of Jordan Love this year, they might surprise people.

Minnesota (0-1) -- Took the Bucs lightly -- at home -- and paid the price for it. Vikings will be just fine, I assume, but that's a game you shouldn't lose.

Chicago (0-1) -- The White Sox and now the Bears...it's not a pretty sports year in Chicago thus far. The Bears are terrible. Not much else to say.

NFC West --

Los Angeles (1-0) -- Didn't see that win in Seattle coming, but the Rams looked like the 2021 Super Bowl champs with that curb-stomping of the Seahawks in Seattle on Sunday. And without Cooper Kupp, remember. Nice, nice win for them.

San Francisco (1-0) -- On a collision course with Philadelphia for NFC supremacy. If they stay healthy, the 49'ers will not lose many games this season. Like, maybe three. Or four, tops. So good on both sides of the ball.

Seattle (0-1) -- One of the stranger losses on opening Sunday. You would have assumed Seattle beats L.A., particularly with Kupp out. Not sure if Sunday told us more about the Rams or the Seahawks.

Arizona (0-1) -- Buckle up out there in the Phoenix area. This is going to be a bumpy ride in 2023. Enjoy your three wins.

NFC South --

Tampa Bay (1-0) -- Pulled off a surprising win in Minnesota with Baker Mayfield (yep, still in the league) at the helm. I don't see the Bucs being any good but that was certainly a nice way to start the 2023 season for them.

Atlanta (1-0) -- Showed some small signs of life last year and this season could be one where they start to make some legit strides. Not sure they have the QB position figured out yet, but once they get that position solved, they could be a threat.

New Orleans (1-0) -- Tough to tell if Sunday was more about Derek Carr being decent enough to win games still or the Titans just being a lousy team that plays hard and loses. Good news for the Saints, though: This division is up for grabs.

Carolina (0-1) -- They're a lot like Atlanta. They're getting better. And if their QB situation perks up a little they could be decent in 2023.

Five Big Week One Takeaways --

1. Watch out for Miami.

2. Steelers gonna be awful.

3. Packers might actually be good.

4. Same old L.A. Chargers.

5. Eagles won't lose more than three games.

#DMD's predicted Super Bowl prior to the season: Philadelphia vs. Jacksonville

#DMD's predicted Super Bowl after week #1: Philadelphia vs. Jacksonville

Monday September 11, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3303

this is the real question of the day

Play along, if you will.

It's just a fun little exercise.

Would you rather the Ravens had lost yesterday but suffered NO injuries at all?

It's a serious question.

As you know, the Ravens won yesterday's opener vs. Houston but they lost J.K. Dobbins for the season and safety Marcus Williams is likely out at least six weeks with a pectoral muscle injury. They also lost Ronnie Stanley and Tyler Lindenbaum in the game as well but neither of those injuries appear to be serious.

Would you have traded a loss for no injuries?

The two they suffered yesterday are fairly significant, that's for sure.

Dobbins being unavailable for the rest of the season is potentially very damaging. It's safe to say the Ravens and Colts will be chatting about Jonathan Taylor early this week. With no disrespect to Gus Williams and Justice Hill, those two aren't going to keep many defensive coordinators awake at night.

And Williams, who had a big play early in Sunday's win to negate a big gain for the Texans, now leaves an already-shorthanded Baltimore secondary even more depleted.

There are bigger players who could have been lost, sure, but those two guys are big parts of the Ravens' engine.

If you could trade it in for a loss and no injuries, would you do that?

That's one tough question.

Every win is vital in the NFL. You can finish 10-7, for example, and not make the playoffs. 11-6 gets you in, 10-7 doesn't. That one win you "gave back" could be the difference in post-season football.

But can you win 12 or 13 games without J.K. Dobbins and Marcus Williams?

I realize this is all just make believe. The Ravens won and they lost Dobbins and Williams and nothing is changing that.

I'm just bringing up the hypothetical question to point out how impactful those two injuries might wind up being over the course of the next 16 games.

I took the question to Twitter last night and the results were close, but most people favored the victory. 56% of those who participated in our poll said they wouldn't trade the win for a loss with no injuries.

Let me say this: I won't go as far as saying the Ravens offense is "crippled" without Dobbins, but it's at least C-R-I-P-P.

And the news of Dobbins/Williams overshadowed a decent-enough day for the Ravens. Yes, the offense was rusty. Lamar wasn't very good. But the defense pitched a "touchdown-less" game and Houston was thoroughly overmatched from start to finish.

Yes, I realize it was the Texans. They're lousy, for sure.

But a win is a win and the Ravens picked up that victory when two others in the AFC North -- Cincinnati and Pittsburgh -- weren't quite as fortunate.

Historically, almost 90% of NFL teams who start the season 0-2 don't make the playoffs. That number might be a bit different now when 7 teams from each conference make the post-season, but either way it's pretty clear that starting 0-2 puts you behind the eight ball right out of the gate.

Pittsburgh (vs. Cleveland) and Cincinnati (vs. Baltimore) aren't quite playing for their seasons next week, but they know the data about starting 0-2, I'm sure.

So, far better to start 1-0 than 0-1.

But those injuries, huh?

Not quite as concerning but still worth wondering about was the crowd for yesterday's opener. There were a little more than 10,000 no-shows for the game, including roughly 500 "unsold tickets".

60,000'ish in the building for the season opener and face value seats available at the box office right up until kick-off. What's going on?

I'm sure the answer lies in the pizza theory I usually bring up when talking about attendance.

There are several "slices" to throw out there; game doesn't really "matter", it's the Texans, weather wasn't pristine, more people are staying home and watching these days, general cost of the game (tickets, parking, food) continues to increase, and, yes, maybe even a handful of folks decided to stay home and keep tabs on the Orioles playing the Red Sox in Boston.

Whatever excuse you provide, nothing changes the fact that the Ravens 2023 home opener wasn't an actual "sell out" and roughly 10,000 people who did buy tickets decided not to attend the game after all. To me, the no-shows are far more concerning than the 500 or so unsold seats.

But why?

The good news is this, though: Nashville already has a football team.

Something odd happened yesterday at the U.S. Open tennis championship and it became even more weird when you take into consideration that today is September 11.

Prior to the men's final in New York City -- won, of course, by Novak Djokovic -- the United States Tennis Association elected not to play the Star Spangled Banner.

Now, two things are worth pointing out, first.

The USTA did start off the tournament three weeks ago by playing the national anthem prior to the opening matches.

And the finalists in yesterday's men's title match were both not American born.

In lieu of the national anthem, there was a combination of sorts between America the Beautiful and Lift Every Voice and Sing. So the USTA did start Sunday's men's final with some sort of patriotic song(s). They just decided, somehow, that playing the national anthem wasn't a good idea.

On the eve of September 11, the USTA disregarding the playing of the Star Spangled Banner seemed particularly out of place.

Or are we just at the point now where the anthem has become such a divisive topic that organizing bodies like the USTA would rather just avoid the conflict than make a stand?

Interestingly enough, the NFL showcased a riveting version of the national anthem prior to last night's game in New York. Queen Latifah handled the vocals and support for the song and her rendition of it was widespread on social media prior to kick-off.

These are strange times indeed in our country.

I mean, what could it possibly hurt to play the national anthem prior to the country's national tennis championship?

It's standard-operating-procedure to initiate a sporting event in this country with the playing of the Star Spangled Banner. But it's also being met with more and more disdain, too. And that, at least to me, is difficult to digest.

The motto of the 9-11 attacks on our country has always been this: Never Forget.

But have we?

Have we forgotten about September 11, 2001 and the 3,300 people who went to work that day -- many of them in New York, no less -- and never made it back home?

I'll tip my hat to the NFL. They got it right last night. And, as we all know, "getting it right" hasn't always been the NFL's forte when it comes to matters of public interest.

But how could the USTA foul that up so badly on Sunday?

Are they that worried about potential backlash from people who take umbrage with the national anthem?

If they are, they're part of the problem.

And before people start whining about the national anthem ("it's just a song", "it shouldn't be played before sporting events anyway", "go woke go broke") you can leave all of that rhetoric at the front door.

It's the national anthem of the United States. It is played before sporting events, where large crowds of people are gathered, despite Communistic views that suggest our national pride should otherwise be silenced.

And I'm not talking about military sponsorships, stadium signage, fighter jet fly-overs and other sporting event occurrences that occasionally reek more of "business" than patriotism.

If we're afraid to play the National Anthem or recite the Pledge of Allegiance in a public forum, we've become the problem.

	"Randy On The O's"
Randy Morgan takes #DMD readers through the recent week in Orioles baseball as the Birds try to lay claim to the 2023 A.L. East title.

orioles week in review

Week Record: 5-1

Season Record: 90-52

AL East Standing: 1st Place (+3 on TB; +12 on WC)

Magic Number: 17

Player of the Week: Aaron Hicks .476 AVG 9RBI 4R 4BB

Yet another winning week for the Orioles pushed them into some rarified air in recent O’s history.

Although the Birds couldn’t quite close out a double-sweep week, their win on Saturday saw them eclipse the 90 win mark for just the fourth time in my lifetime (I was born a little after the last World Series win).

With much of September left to play, this team has already etched itself among the best O’s teams of the last four decades.

The 5-1 week has the Orioles all but assured of a playoff spot, as they are now twelve games clear of the closest Wild Card contender. The Tampa Bay Rays managed to go 5-2 against Boston and Seattle this week, so the O’s division lead only grew by half a game, up to three.

At the start of the week, the Birds went out to California and took care of business against an Angels team that has given up on their season.

Grayson Rodriguez twirled another stellar outing to kick off the series, going six innings and striking out seven while giving up just two runs. A 3rd inning rally put the Os in the lead and Gunnar Henderson hit an Earl Weaver special in the 7th to extend the lead before Yennier Cano closed out the 6-3 win.

On Tuesday the Angels put up more of a fight, rallying back in the late innings after the O’s took an early lead. Ryan O’Hearn came up with the clutch hit in the 9th to tie the game for the O’s then Ryan Mountcastle gave them the lead. DL Hall couldn’t close it out though, pushing the game to extra innings but a Jordan Westburg chopper scored Austin Hays and Shintaro Fujinami closed it out for a 5-4 win.

Austin Hays led the way with a colossal 4-4 day, including an homer and four runs batted in for a comfortable 10-3 win to close out the sweep of the Angels. Kyle Gibson got back on track with a decent start, allowing three runs in six innings.

It was another easy win on Friday to open the series in Fenway.

Kyle Bradish has become a quality start machine and delivered another one with six innings of two-run ball and nine strikeouts. O’Hearn got it started with a homer in the first inning then the O’s added four in a 6th inning rally and six more in the last two innings. Gunnar Henderson led the way with a 3-6 effort that was a homer short of the cycle.

Saturday saw the O’s prevail in one of the crazier games of the season.

Despite looking like they had the game iced away several times, it came down to the last outs for the Birds to secure a 13-12 win. Jack Flaherty continued to flounder, failing to make it even through the fourth inning after being staked to a 7-2 lead.

James McCann homered twice to help extend the lead and Gunnar Henderson hit his second three-run homer of the week to push the lead to 12-6. The bullpen couldn’t hold it, giving up three in the 7th and three more in the 9th before Yennier Cano finally got a fly out to left field to end the game.

On Sunday, the O’s took a 7-3 loss in a game drawn out by several rain delays. Grayson Rodriguez wasn’t quite as unhittable as his last few outings and suffered from several uncharacteristic fielding mistakes from Ramon Urias.

The Orioles jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the 2nd inning but the Red Sox battled back and a Tristan Casas three-run homer put the game out of reach to deny the O’s a second straight sweep.

There were several standout players in this 5-1 week for the Orioles.

Anthony Santander kept his hot bat but wasn’t nearly as scorching as last week.

Jordan Westburg had a great week at the plate in his four starts this week.

Gunnar Henderson continues to be magnificent and is virtually a lock for the AL Rookie of the Year award. He delivered two three-run homers this week and continued to provide Gold Glove defense.

However, it was Aaron Hicks who was the O’s player of the week. Just back from his latest injury, Hicks looked like the guy from his early days with the O’s this season. He put up a .476 average this week, driving in nine runs and walking four times.

Hicks’s return to form gives the O’s some more outfield depth and he is one of the few regulars with previous playoff experience.

Down on the Farm –

The headline news in the minors this week was the promotion of top prospect Jackson Holliday to AAA Norfolk. Holliday managed a hit and a walk in his debut on Tuesday. Then he had a rough couple of days before finishing the week strong. He had just a .200 average and .613 OPS in his first week but finished with a strong game on Sunday, reaching base four out of five times in an 11-2 win.

Aside from Holliday, Colton Cowser had a productive week, reaching base in five of the six games and hitting several home runs. Coby Mayo continued his rapid rise in the system, hitting safely in five of the six games and launching a deep homer on Sunday.

John Means made what appears to be his last minor league rehab start on Wednesday. It wasn’t a great outing, as he gave up six hits and two walks in five innings, but he managed to allow only three runs. Brandon Hyde announced that he will make his first Orioles start of the year on Tuesday.

The O’s top two pitching prospects both looked good this week for Norfolk. Chayce McDermott went five innings, striking out seven while giving up one run. Cade Povich threw almost six innings, racking up nine strikeouts and surrendering just one run, though he did issue four walks.

Lower down in the system, Samuel Basallo was on fire at the plate, hitting six homers in his last seven games. Basallo batted a cool .529 during the week, with seven runs batted in, lifting his OPS to 1.131 in 27 games at Aberdeen. The week earned him a promotion up to AA Bowie to close out their season.

At Bowie this week, Billy Cook had himself an outstanding week, blasting five homers, including a walk-off and driving in eleven runs. Cook is an unheralded prospect, but he has put up some outstanding numbers at Bowie this year.

Question of the Week –

Before we get to the question of the week, I just want to reiterate how exceptional and fun this team has been all season.

Back in March there was no expectation that this team was going to be one of the top contenders for the AL East, let alone the World Series.

But given where the team is now, the margin for error will get smaller and smaller as they try to make a deep run in the playoffs. With that being said, the question of the week is, how long will Jack Flaherty’s leash be for the rest of the season?

The team’s top trade deadline acquisition made an impressive first start shutting down the Toronto Blue Jays, but he has been a liability ever since.

Fellow starter Kyle Gibson has had a rough go of it in the second half of the season, but Gibson generally at least manages to eat innings when he doesn’t have his best stuff. Flaherty has been both imminent hittable and unable to get deep into games.

Staked to a five run lead early on this week, Flaherty couldn’t manage even four innings. He now has a 7.16 ERA in six starts for the Orioles. The underlying numbers don’t look any better, with a 5.18 FIP. With the team moving back to a five-man rotation and John Means set to return on Tuesday, one wonders how long Flaherty can hold on to a rotation spot.

At this point he hasn’t just been less than was expected, he has been actively hurting the team. Management has limited options with Flaherty, as he can’t just be sent back to the minors.

He hasn’t had much if any experience out of the bullpen, so its unclear if he could help the team there. Right now it seems like Means, Gibson, or Irvin are all better options in the starting rotation. Would the front office consider waiving Flaherty if it came down to that?

It would be a pretty big admission of failure at the trade deadline, but sometimes you just have to accept that it's a sunk cost and do what's best for the team going forward.

Maybe Flaherty gets one or two more starts to try to straighten it out, but at this point he doesn’t seem like a guy you want anywhere near a playoff rotation. Even down the stretch of the regular season the margins could be very thin with the way the Rays are playing. If he can’t seriously turn it around, there would appear to be better options.

This Week –

This could be a monumental week for this O’s team. They return home from a successful road trip to start a seven game home stand.

They’ll open with three against the St. Louis Cardinals, who currently sit in the basement of the NL Central, but do enter the week winning six of their last ten. Either way it's a team the O’s should expect to take the series from.

That will be followed by the most important regular season series at Camden Yards for at least the last decade. The Tampa Bay Rays come to town on Thursday for a four game series that will close out the season series for the two AL East contenders.

Winning just one game in the series would clinch the season tiebreaker for the Orioles and earning even a split in the series would put the Birds in great position to close out the division title. Let’s hope Baltimore shows out for this one and brings a raucous atmosphere that Tampa could only dream of.

	#DMD GAME DAY Week 1 Sunday — September 10, 2023 Issue #3302
	Houston Texans at Baltimore Ravens 1:00 PM EDT M&T Bank Stadium Baltimore, MD Spread: Ravens (-9.5)

Here we go again.

It's football season.

Sure, there are seats available for today's game, and, given that the baseball team in town continues to run roughshod over the rest of the American League, it might not feel 100% like football season in these parts.

But the NFL season in Charm City kicks off today with the Ravens getting a (hopeful) layup when the Houston Texans step onto the field at M&T Bank Stadium at 1:00 pm.

Expectations are high in Baltimore for the 2023 Ravens.

A number of national analysts have the Ravens either losing in the AFC Championship game or going all the way to the Super Bowl in Las Vegas next February. An off-season of improving the wide receiver position, along with a long-term extension for Lamar Jackson, has a lot of people thinking "big" for John Harbaugh's team in 2023.

Today's game gives the Ravens a great chance to flex their muscles in advance of next week's early season showdown with Joe Burrow and the Bengals. As the Chiefs just saw on Thursday night, you're not winning games in the NFL by just rolling your helmets out there before the game. But this is a game, today, the Ravens should win with ease.

Even with Mark Andrews likely OUT this afternoon, this should still be a game the Ravens win with ease. Andrews helps the offense, no doubt, but Lamar has plenty of weapons to turn to in this one.

And it's likely what happens defensively for the Ravens today is more important than what happens offensively.

The key for the Ravens today is simple: Make life miserable for Houston rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud.

Stroud will likely be leaning on Tank Dell, a 2023 3rd round draft pick who enjoyed a stellar training camp. With Marlon Humphrey out for the Ravens, Dell has the potential to earn favorable match-ups this afternoon.

But can the depleted Houston offensive line give Stroud enough time and protection for him to get the ball to Dell, Nico Collins and the other Texans receivers?

That's the big question of the day from Houston's point of view.

If their offensive line holds up well and gives Stroud and the receivers a chance to shine, the Texans might have a puncher's chance. But if Baltimore can pressure Stroud in his NFL debut, it's going to be a long day for the visitors.

As for the Ravens, Todd Monken's Offensive Coordinator debut draws a favorable opponent in the Texans. Look for 100+ plus yards on the ground for Baltimore and at least 225 yards in the air for Lamar. Unless something wacky happens, this should be a comfortable home opener for John Harbaugh's team.

We'll call it 34-17 Baltimore.

Three Things To Look For --

1. Lamar and the receivers: Let's face it, this is what we're all gearing up for today. Jackson to Beckham Jr., Jackson to Flowers, Jackson to Bateman and so on. Will OBJ go nuts if the ball only comes his way twice in the game? Is Zay Flowers the "real deal", as his pre-season led us to believe? Can Bateman stay healthy and catch balls thrown his way?

2. Oweh, Ojabo and the pass rush: Ojabo did not impress in pre-season. Oweh is hot-and-cold. Good this game, absent the next. Although Jadaveon Clowney is just as involved in run stopping as he is chasing the QB, will his presence somehow help to free up Oweh and Ojabo. With Houston's depleted offensive line -- and with Clowney going against his former tea, too -- this seems like a good day to put some pressure on the QB. Oweh and Ojabo are definitely a key part of the game.

3. Off to a good start: There were home games last year (Carolina, Denver) where the Ravens just sort of plodded along and kept inferior teams in the game far too long. This one today "feels" like the kind of game that shouldn't ever be in doubt. Can the Ravens get off to a good start, put their foot down with a couple of early scores, and win one of those "never a question about it" kind of games? Or will Houston be able to hang around long enough to make it uncomfortable?

Around the AFC North today --

Bengals at Browns -- Someone's starting out 0-1 in the division today (barring a tie) when the Bengals travel to Cleveland for a season-opening showdown with their intrastate rivals. Is Joe Burrow's training camp calf injury a thing of the past? Will Cincinnati's high-powered offense punish Cleveland's defense? Are the Browns a legtimate contender in the division? If they are, they'll win today and prove a point right from week one.

49'ers at Steelers -- San Francisco is a popular NFC Super Bowl team among analysts and league experts. The Steelers are, as they've been for the last few years, a complete mystery. Is Kenny Pickett ready to take the next step and move into the "elite" category of NFL quarterbacks? Will the 49'ers handle the west-to-east travel issue or fall victim to that "10:00 AM away game"?

	BET IT ALL PAUL and his weekly NFL picks
Bet It All Paul lives in the nicest house in his Harford County neighborhood because he knows NFL football. Did you bet a thousand on the Eagles making the Super Bowl last year? Paul did. Follow Paul's lead this season and you can live in a nice house too!

Welcome to week number one of the NFL season. I got off to a great start on Thursday night with the Lions over the Chiefs and I'm hoping to continue that roll today for all of you out there in DMD land.

Each week I will pick against the spread (all games) and offer three other special selections.

An "upset alert" kind of pick. This week, as you'll see, I think the best opportunity for a significant upset would be Indianapolis beating Jacksonville. I'm not betting that one myself but of all the games on the slate I see that one with the most chance for an outright upset.

A 3-team parlay against the spread. These are very difficult to win but when you hit one, you get paid handsomely.

Two totals. We'll go through the point totals and give you two games to wager on.

Our Big Play Of The Day: This will be a 3 or 4 way "big play" where we need everything to fall in place for a big payday.

Here's how I see this week's schedule of games.

Panthers at Falcons (-3.5) - I think Atlanta is a sleeper team in 2023. Paul's pick: Atlanta

Bengals at Browns (+2.0) - Bengals in a big way today. By two touchdowns. Paul's pick: Cincinnati

Jaguars at Colts (+4.5) - J'ville wins but Colts cover late. Paul's pick: Indianapolis

Buccaneers at Vikings (-5.0) - This is my 5 star play of the day. Paul's pick: Minnesota

Titans at Saints (-3.0) - Going with the Saints here because it's at home. Paul's pick: New Orleans

49'ers at Steelers (+2.5) - Hate to do it, but I don't see San Fran winning. Paul's pick: Pittsburgh

Cardinals at Commanders (-7.0) - Washington might win this one by 20. Paul's pick: Washington

Packers at Bears (-1.0) - Going with the home team in this one. Paul's pick: Chicago

Raiders at Broncos (-3.5) - Denver is going to surprise people this year. Paul's pick: Denver

Eagles at Patriots (+3.5) - Can New England pull off the upset? No. Paul's pick: Eagles

Dolphins at Chargers (-3.0) - This one should be a shootout. Paul's pick: Dolphins

Rams at Seahawks (-5.0) - Seattle could be a NFL sleeper this season. Paul's pick: Seattle

Cowboys at Giants (-3.5) - Which of these teams is for real? Paul's pick: Dallas

Monday: Bills at Jets (+2.5) - There's a new A-Rod in NY. Jets win on a late field goal. Paul's pick: New York

Texans at Ravens (-9.5) - I think the Texans keep this one close enough to cover but the Ravens are ahead throughout the game and are never really pressured. Ravens up 7 after 1, 13 at the half, 13 after three and they win this game 27-20.

Feeling Froggy Upset Special: Colts outright over Jaguars 24-23

3-team parlay: Vikings, Broncos Seattle

Two Totals Special: Commanders/Cardinals (over 38.0), Bears/Packers (under 41.0)

Big Play Of The Day: Vikings (-5), Bears/Packers (under 41.0), Texans under 300 yards of total offense, Rodgers throws for 300+ on Monday night.

Saturday September 9, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3301

making up for 2005...2006...2007, and so on

Oh, man, this is really getting to be fun now.

It's one thing to go out west and beat up on Arizona and the Angels. We don't really care about those teams here. They're on the schedule, we play 'em, and that's about it.

But last night's 11-2 demolition of the Red Sox? Now that's a different story.

For those that don't remember, 15 years or so around here, three times a year, those rat finks came into Baltimore and pounded the Orioles time after time.

And their fan base reveled in it.

In fairness, the Orioles front office reveled in it too. The only times the team ever drew good crowds back then were when the Yankees or Red Sox came to town.

Circa 2005, there would be 30,000 people in the stadium to see the Red Sox in Baltimore and 15,000 of them would be wearing "PEDROIA" or "ORTIZ" on the back of their custom-made jerseys.

It was so outrageously humiliating I can't even think about it without just shaking my head in disgust.

And let's just say this: They weren't the nicest folks in the world while they were beating the Orioles brains in 9-3 every night at Camden Yards.

If you were at any of those games back then, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Manny Ramirez would drill a ball into the centerfield gap and two runners would score to put them up 5-1 in the 3rd and the place would absolutely ROAR in delight. If you weren't at the ballpark and were listening on the radio, you would have sworn up and down the game was at Fenway.

I can distinctly remember going to home games when the Red Sox were in town and the entire lower section behind the visiting dugout would be packced with their fans two hours before the game -- just there to watch batting practice and get autographs.

In fact, here's a little known gem from the walls of the Warehouse. The very reason why "normal" fans can't go in and watch batting practice prior to home games these days is because of those years. You can only go in to see batting practice in 2023 if you're either a season ticket plan holder or your name is left on a list by a home or visiting player.

If you and your son or daughter just want to mosey into the ballpark at 5:00 pm to watch batting practice, you can no longer do that. Once the O's saw how many Red Sox and Yankees fans invaded the stadium at 5:00 pm to support their troops, the club decided, instead of making the team better to get more of our fans in the stadium, that they would just close the gates until one hour before the game.

So there's something else you can thank Red Sox fans for, right?

But it's all coming full circle now and it's glorious.

Oh, sure, we have the "Robert Andino game". No one forgets that. But the Orioles were terrible back then. It might have been delightful to eliminate them with a walk-off win on the final night of the regular season, but it's kind of hard to take any true joy out of it when the O's were winning 60 games themselves in those days.

This...what we're seeing in 2023...is totally different. We're good. Really good, in fact. And we're not only ruling the A.L. East but we're also spoiling a Red Sox wild card run at the same time.

With all due respect to Nolan Reimold and Robert Andino, we have real players now. And we're kicking ass and taking names.

And the days of Red Sox fans coming to Baltimore and blow-harding their way around the ballpark while Pedroia, Manny, Ortiz and Varitek blast us 11-4 are over with, my friends. Or, they're at least over with until Rutschman signs in Seattle, Gunnar signs with the Yankees and Westburg signs with the Angels. John Angelos already pretty much told us that's gonna happen at some point in the future.

Enjoy it while you can, I say. And don't be afraid to rub it in a little bit the next time the Red Sox come to town and the O's are waving the A.L. East championship flag on top of the home dugout during the 7th inning stretch.

I fully expect a Saturday-Sunday sweep in Boston and a return to Baltimore with an 8-game winning streak. This train is firing on all cylinders now.

Felix Bautista? Who's he?

Matt sent me an e-mail yesterday with regard to the situation involving the WNST station owner and in that e-mail he challenged me on the subject of losing media access and/or a credential.

"Drew, I thought you would dig in here a little more since you have been vocal about the Orioles stripping you of your press pass once upon a time. I realize there might be bad blood between you and (the station owner) but I'm a little surprised you're not playing more of a supporting role in this."

That's what Matt wrote to me.

It bears repeating, again, for I think, maybe, the 3rd time here in the last 8 months:

I don't agree with a team just up-and-deciding they won't allow a member of the media into their building, stadium, press box, etc. any longer.

I thought it was wrong in 2008 when the Orioles did it to me.

And I think it's wrong if the Ravens are doing that to anyone these days.

In 2008, I took my "case" all the way up the ladder to Major League Baseball P.R. in New York.

I sent them my own personal outline of what had transpired and included some conversations I had with the Orioles about the whole thing as well.

I made what I thought was a very reasonable case to them.

A week after they got all of my information they sent me back a nice two sentence e-mail.

"After a review of your situation and discussing this further with Orioles P.R., it's our belief that your situation is unique to them and that you need to continue having further dialogue with them in an effort to remedy this to your satisfaction. Rest assured Major League Baseball appreciates your continued coverage of the Orioles and all of our member teams."

In other words: We called the Orioles, talked to them about it, the Orioles told us they're not changing their mind, and that's that.

I mean, if Major League Baseball can't tell one of their teams what to do, what recourse do you have at that point? The Supreme Court?

So, I gave it up right then and there.

"Keep your credential you jerks," I told them. They offered to allow me in the stadium on a "game by game basis" but that wasn't really the end-game for me. I had been summarily dismissed by them as a "season credentialed media member" because they didn't like the campaign I was pushing on the air with regard to putting BALTIMORE back on the road jersey.

Ironically -- and connected to the story, somehwat -- my son was born in 2007 and a few years later, my daughter was born. My life changed, as everyone's does when they have children.

One day, I don't remember when, exactly, it dawned on me: I don't have an Orioles season media credential. But who cares, really? They don't. The fans don't. The listeners don't, either. The only person that cares, really, is me. And as I watched my son start to swing a plastic golf club in the front yard and my daughter take her first steps it occurred to me that I probably shouldn't care, either.

And in the end, I see the current situation involving the station owner and the Ravens in a similar light.

Deep down, at places no one talks about at parties, this is an issue that really only one person cares about. The station owner.

The Ravens most certainly don't care about it. They have football games to win. The owner doesn't care. The head coach most certainly doesn't care. And neither does anyone else in the organization.

Everything that happens at 1 Winning Drive is connected to one thing and one thing only: Winning football games.

If there's something going on outside the building and it can't help the Ravens win a football game, it's simply not important to them.

Cui bono?

And, so, I'm not trying to duck out of supporting a "fellow media member" -- and my former employer, for whom I am eternally grateful for on a macro level -- by dismissing the story.

I'm simply saying it's a fight you're not going to win.

You can get in there and swing away. Maybe even get in a nice lick or two along the way. Cause a gash above the eye. Embarrass a few people. All of that can be done for sure.

But it's not going to change the eventual outcome. It's just not.

There's probably also an argument that the "public humiliation" angle isn't the best road to take as well, but that's a decision the station owner made and I'm sure he gave it great thought before launching his campaign this week.

When you're down to your last out, you don't stand there with the bat on your shoulder. You dig in and do your best Ryan Flaherty impersonation: "Come on you (blank-blank), throw me that ball."

So this is his way of standing at the plate with 2 outs in the 9th inning. His tenacity is admirable. He's a Dundalk guy, I'm a Glen Burnie guy. We'll get in the mud with you if that's what you want. Maybe that's why, at least for 12 years, we got along fairly well. We'll scrap with you if that's what it takes.

But in 2023, these teams and their front offices have changed. Dramatically. I was brought up in the soccer business to go out of my way to befriend every media member in town. And I mean all of them.

I played golf with Jack Dawson, John Buren, Scott Garceau, Vince Bagli, Ken Singleton, Paul Sherry and Chris Thomas.

I had lunch, yearly, with Sandy McKee, Mike Preston, Doug Brown, Bill Tanton, Bob Maisel, Kevin Cowherd, Melody Simmons, John Hawkins, Bernie Miklasz and Bill Free.

And there were times when I had to "suck it up" and try to curry favor with people like Ken Rosenthal or Mike Littwin, even after they wrote some not-so-nice things about the Blast in one of their regular columns.

My job was to convince them we were worthy of coverage. My job wasn't to fight them, even though most of their columns indicated they didn't really care for indoor soccer.

We, the Blast, needed those people. If the sports director of The Sun would have called Mitch Burke, my boss, and said, "Drew is mistreating Doug Brown" I would have been out of a job. Period. My "job" was to make them happy and keep them informed of what was going on with the team.

If Sandy McKee of The Evening Sun would have asked me to arrange for a helicopter to get her to the game in Philadelphia, I would have said, "Where do you want it to land and what time would you like to leave?"

But that was then. 1983. This is now. 2023.

And that's really all I'm saying. The times have changed. Teams don't care about "media coverage" any longer. They do their own media these days. I'm not saying I like that. Having come from a media relations background in the soccer business, I actually don't like it at all.

But this isn't 1983 or 1993. It's 2023. And the "need" for media coverage, per se, is pretty much gone.

There might very well be a personality conflict between the Ravens P.R. man and the station owner. I have no idea. And if there is, that could also be impacting whatever decision(s) they're making about media access.

But, again, I don't see how that changes anything with regard to media credentials and media access.

It's like the old Chris Rock skit where he talks about O.J. Simpson seeing his ex-wife ride around Beverly Hills with a new boyfriend in a car he (O.J.) bought for her.

"There's no way a man can handle that," Rock said as the crowd roared.

"I ain't saying O.J. should have killed her. But I understand."

I'm not saying the Ravens should be denying media members access to their team or stadium. But I understand.

It's 2023.

They have the power to do whatever they want. They're the football team in town. They pretty much don't answer to anyone.

And as long as they win games, that's all anyone really cares about.

Friday September 8, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3300

into the lion's den in 2023?

Could it possibly be?

After decades of futility, is there a chance 2023 is the year of the Detroit Lions?

Hey, the Chicago Cubs won a World Series in 2016. If that can happen, anything can happen, right?

And while it's only one game, last night's 21-20 Detroit win in Kansas City on opening night probably tells us a lot more about the Lions than it does the Chiefs.

Kansas City, after all, was missing all-world tight end Travis Kelce. Under the gun, late in the game when he needed yards and first downs, Patrick Mahomes didn't have any reliable options. Every time he threw the ball to Kadarius Toney, he dropped it. Kelce would have gobbled those throws up like the Hall of Famer he'll someday be.

The Lions hung tough all night. Even without Kelce, the Chiefs were a formidable foe, playing at home, on opening night. A Detroit victory in Kansas City under any circumstances is almost unthinkable. But on the opening Thursday, with the whole world watching? Just couldn't happen.

Except it did happen.

The Lions stopped the Chiefs twice in the last 7 minutes to pull out the win and start the season 1-0. I wouldn't go printing playoff tickets just yet in Detroit, but for one night at least, they lived up to their pre-season hype.

Toney, meanwhile, probably shouldn't check out social media for, I don't know, maybe the next 10 years or so. His abysmal night led to a flurry of puns and memes, mostly dealing with his rapper name, Yung Joka.

Former President Barack Obama got a few hours of reprieve on "X" thanks to Toney's embarrassing performance. With each drop -- one of which led to a pick-six for the Lions -- Toney was harangued even further and the Tucker Carlson interview got backburner treatment from the internet devils.

If he has many more games like he had on Thursday, Toney might want to polish up those rapper skills. And that's no joka.

Let's knock out some more questions from the gallery this morning, shall we?

We have a few interesting ones to get to, including an awesome question about Mount Pleasant that I'm sure my old buddy George will enjoy.

Ed Trobst asks -- "A two-part question about your former boss's missive criticiizing Steve Bisciotti. One, do you think it will help patch up the bad blood between him and the team and two, have you ever been tempted to contact him (assuming you haven't) and give him advice? He definitely needs someone to give him some proper guidance."

DF says -- "I addressed this earlier this year when it was brought up. I understand the need to "air it out" and vent, if you will. And I understand the importance of telling your side of the story. But in the end, I always go back to the Latin term: cui bono.

Who benefits?

When you write something -- or say something, too, for that matter -- in a public forum and essentially "call someone out", where's the benefit in the end? Is there an actual, real benefit that comes of this? Not a fairy-tale benefit or "I got my pound of flesh" benefit. A legitimate, tangible benefit?

I did not read the latest journal entry but I assume it's similar in nature to the one published earlier this year. And my guess is the Ravens are going to react to this new one the same way they did with the old one. They have a football season to play. With all due respect to ANY media member, the Ravens are worried about beating the Texans this week and the Bengals next week. They couldn't care less about a scrap with a media member, perceived or legitimate.

And it's not like the Ravens -- and I said earlier in the year -- are suddenly going to say, "You know, that guy is right. We've wronged him. Give him back his media credential and his seat in the press box." They're just not doing that, especially now after all the vitriol that's been published and spoken.

Cui bono? Where's the benefit?

What were you actually looking to accomplish with this? If "embarrass them" was the answer, you've done that. Game over. If "get my media credential back and be friends with the organization again" was the answer, well, I think that ship has sailed.

As for advising him, I don't see the need or the end game for that. What's done is done. This is his fight with the Ravens and it's open and very much public. Anyone reaching out and saying to him, "Hey man, that's not a great look" isn't changing anything. It's done.

There comes a time in one's life when you finally reach a stage where fighting and agitating folks loses it luster. Even Howard Stern mellowed eventually. You have an epiphany of sorts and you come to grips with the fact that you're pretty much just howling at the moon about stuff that you consider important.

But the reality is different."

Layton asks -- "The Orioles are obviously the biggest surprise of the baseball season on the good end of things but what's the biggest surprise in your opinion on the bad end of things?"

DF says -- "Well, because the A.L. Central is so watered down, I'd have to say it's the Chicago White Sox. I mean, they have some real, legit talent on that team. And it's one thing to have an "off" season and be a half-dozen games out of first at Labor Day. The White Sox are one of the worst teams in all of baseball. It's very surprising and disappointing (for them).

You could definitely throw the Mets and Yankees in there as well. But the Mets were probably never winning the N.L. East anyway. Playoffs? Sure. Division title? Not with the Braves playing the way they've played. And the Yankees look bad, standings wise, but this season they're having can't be a real surprise. They were banking on guys like Josh Donaldson to help them, for example.

When the dust settles in October you might even say "the Texas Rangers' collapse" was the biggest surprise of the season. A month ago, they were thought to be a legit World Series contender. They went out and got Max Scherzer to help with that quest. And now they're probably not even going to make the playoffs."

Jason asks -- "I played Mount Pleasant for the first time ever last weekend and thought the course had some real promise. I heard the layout used to be different before Northern Parkway and Perring Parkway were built. So what I'm going to ask might be moot, but if you were given an unlimited budget and could "fix" the course, what would you do?"

DF says -- "I assume we're working with the same space. In other words, we're not shutting down Northern Parkway and Perring Parkway and returning the course to its original design.

Well, there are only two things you can do with money, golf wise. Improve the conditions or redesign the layout. Frankly, I think the layout is fine, even though it's obviously very outdated, distance wise. If you gave me $5 million, I'd spend it on conditions.

That said, there are some layout things I'd consider in lieu of spending it on conditions, just to have fun. I have no idea how much this stuff would cost, so I might be talking like it would cost $5 million to do this when it might cost $20 million. I have no idea.

I would take the 3rd hole and move the green back about 60 yards, closer to where the #4 tee box is right now. That would change the hole from driver, flip wedge to something more like driver, 8-iron. I would then make #4 a par-3, with a new tee box constructed at the 175 yard marker (of the current 4th fairway) or thereabouts. I realize that changes the par to "70", but that's fine.

And while I realize the neighbors on the left would have a gripe and we'd have to construct some kind of big 200 foot high net all the way down the left side of #15, I'd move the 15th tee back to where it used to be (way back in the "shoot", past the 14th green) and make #15 a par-5 again. It would make for an awesome second shot, over water, like the old days.

Now we're back to a par 71.

Even though you're a bit land locked with the property, there are definitely ways to lengthen the course working with what you have.

There's room to make #1 and #10 20-25 yards longer (move #1 back to the practice green and for #10 cut out out a small portion of the parking lot), #12 can be stretched out, #14 can be stretched out, etc.

One other simple way to make the course longer is this: Use ONLY the blue tee boxes. That would make the course 200 yards longer all on its own."

Mark asks -- "Besides injuries, is there any way the 2023 Ravens season gets derailed? Injuries obviously crushes any team. But let's pretend the Ravens don't get any major injuries. Is there any chance they finish around .500?"

DF says -- "Sure they could finish 9-8 or 10-7. They are a bit depleted in the secondary as it is and there are question marks with the defensive pass rush. Even with Marlon Humphrey and Rock Ya-Sin healthy, they could still be vulnerable in the secondary.

And what if, for some reason, the Todd Monken offense doesn't work? I think it's going to work, but what if Greg Roman wasn't the problem after all?

Injuries are everything, of course. Any team that stays healthy all year has a puncher's chance of success. But if the Ravens stay healthy, the only way they don't make the playoffs is if they somehow go 1-5 or 2-4 in the division. History will show the playoff teams almost always go 4-2 or better in the division. There are occasional seasons where 3-3 in the division gets it done, but those are rare indeed."

Ben asks -- "Sorry to see the news about Bruce not playing in Baltimore this Saturday. I know you're a huge fan so I'll ask you this and prompt it by saying "You can't pick a Bruce Springsteen concert" as your answer.

What's the best concert you've seen in your life other than Bruce?"

DF says -- "Easy answer. It was actually about five years ago, I think. I saw these guys in Philadelphia and it was absolutely spectacular.

This song was from that show. I went with my great friend Dale Williams and it was a bucket list event for both of us. We still talk about it today."

faith in sports

Professional skateboarder Brian Sumner has quite a story. 8 minutes of it is here today in "Faith in Sports". From a champion to contemplating suicide, Sumner thought he had it all until suddenly he didn't have anything.

Please take 8 minutes to watch the video below this morning.

Thanks, as always, to our friends at Freestate Electrical for their continued support of "Faith in Sports" here every Friday at #DMD.

Thursday September 7, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3299

here's how we see it

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know by now The Boss will be in Baltimore this weekend.

He'll be playing before a packed stadium.

Everyone is surely feeling great about his return to Charm City.

He's going to get paid handsomely for his performance, too. "Righteous bucks" as Jeff Spicoli said once upon a time.

Yes, indeed, Lamar Jackson is ready to take the field on Sunday. On his shoulders will be an offense that features a new coordinator and a trio of new wide receivers, hand picked by Eric DeCosta and manicured to perfection, hopefully by Todd Monken.

Oh, you thought I was talking about the other guy? The real Boss? Sadly, Bruce Springsteen's show in Baltimore scheduled for this Saturday has been canceled due to (his) illness. So you'll have to settle for the second-best "Boss" this weekend.

The schedule makers were kind to John Harbaugh's team, giving them a week one layup against the Texans before sending them into the lion's den to face the Bengals next Sunday. It will be good for Jackson to take a couple of hits this Sunday and get acclimated to the pace of the NFL once again before heading to Cincinnati for the week two showdown with Burrow, Chase and friends.

Injuries notwithstanding, 2023 should be a very productive campaign for the Ravens. Their secondary is depleted, yes. That most certainly could hamper them later on this season, particulary if Marlon Humphrey somehow doesn't fully recover from his August foot surgery.

But all things being equal, the Ravens should be able to outscore three-quarters of their opponents in the regular season. Bet the "over", a lot, is our call. You're probably going to see a lot of 30-23 kind of finals throughout the campaign.

As we do every season here at #DMD, we're going to go through each division and provide a rough sketch of what we expect this season, with the one caveat, as always, being the unknown as it relates to injuries.

If Joe Burrow gets hurt, the Bengals are done.

Same for Buffalo if something happens to Josh Allen.

And the Chiefs with Patrick Mahomes.

We saw it last year with the Ravens, even though they managed to finagle their way into the post-season despite Lamar, ummmmm, "missing" the final six weeks of the season with some kind of knee injury. With Jackson, they were poised to make a Super Bowl run. Without him, they had no chance in the long run.

So we're going with the picks below based on every quarterback and star player staying healthy, which, almost certainly, won't happen across the board. Someone QB and best wide receiver are going to get hurt at the worst time possible. It always happens. To someone.

Buckle up. It's football season. Here's what we think happens.

NFC East -- It's the Eagles by 10 lengths and the other three teams fighting for a wild card spot at best. We're thinking the Commanders might be a surprise contender for the post-season. The Cowboys and Giants? Not so much. Dallas will start 7-2 and everyone will start booking airfare to Vegas for the Super Bowl and then they'll do what they always do down there in "Big D"...collapse in December. It's a weird division. Philly wins it going away at 13-4. D.C. is next at 9-7-1. Dallas finishes 8-9 and the Giants finish 7-9-1.

NFC South -- Has every team in a division ever finished 8-9 before? Is that even mathematically possible? I assume it is. But anyway, we see this as a 4-team "high card wins" kind of deal. You can probably make an argument for any of the four teams to finish 9-8 or 10-7 and scrape by with the division title. We think Derek Carr is just mediocre enough to guide the Saints to a 10-7 record based mainly on a 4-2 division record. Carolina is next at 9-8. Atlanta finishes at 7-10 and Tampa Bay brings up the rear at 5-12.

NFC North -- Everyone loves Justin Jefferson but they also love the Lions for some reason. I can't see Green Bay doing much, despite an improving defense. As for the Bears, it's going to be another cold, dark winter for them in the Windy City. I'll buy a little bit of Detroit Lions stock, but this is Minnesota's division to lose. Vikings wrap this up by mid-December and finish 13-4. Detroit takes a step forward at 10-7. Green Bay drops to 7-9-1. Chicago bottoms out at 4-12-1.

NFC West -- The 49'ers are going to roll here. The other three teams are going to try and survive long enough to have a game that matters in December. For the Cardinals, they might not play a game that matters in October, even. They're going to give up faster than Roberto Duran. The Seahawks will hang around and the Rams will, too. But it's San Fran in a cakewalk at 12-5. Seattle finishes 9-8. The Rams come in at 7-10. Arizona goes 3-14 and most people can't figure out how they actually won three.

NFC Playoff teams -- Philadelphia, Minnesota, San Francisco, New Orleans, Detroit, Washington, Carolina (tiebreaker)

AFC East -- This division is gonna be a whopper. New England's on the outside looking in and they might not even be all that bad. Are we buying stock in the J-E-T-S? Sure, a little bit. I mean, Aaron Rodgers is better than anything they've had there in, like, forever. But it's still Buffalo's division unless something wacky happens. Miami will be there until Tua misses 8 weeks with another concussion. We're taking Buffalo at 12-5. The Jets come in at 10-7 with the Dolphins also at 10-7. New England finishes last at 7-10 and gives consideration to returning to the old "Pat The Patriot" helmets, which would garner them three additional wins in any given season.

AFC South -- I don't feel all warm and fuzzy about this division mainly because it seems FAR too obvious. Indianapolis is going to be terrible. Houston is going to be terrible. The Titans aren't going to be very good. And the Jaguars and their soft schedule should run away with it. Somehow, this thing will get all messed up by December. I'm thinking the Titans could be the team that creates a stir, but I'm going to stick with my initial thought: Jaguars in a romp at 13-4. Tennessee is next at 8-8-1. Indianapolis finishes 6-10-1. And then Houston comes in at 5-12.

AFC West -- As long as nothing is seriously wrong with Travis Kelce, the Chiefs are going to claim another AFC West title, but their schedule isn't a walk in the park and the guess here is the division goes down to the final two weeks of the season. K.C. wins it again at 12-5, but they get pressed throughout the campaign by the Chargers, who come in at 11-6. The Broncos show some life under Sean Payton and finish at 9-8. The Raiders limp through the season looking like a team trying to lose on purpose. They finish at 4-13.

AFC North -- This division is going to be a barnburner from start to finish. All four teams will finish at .500 or better. But only two will make the playoffs. The Ravens win the division crown at 12-5. Their playoff hopes hinge on a suspect secondary being able to negotiate with the likes of Justin Herbert, Joe Burrow and Trevor Lawrence. As the great Meat Loaf said: "Two out of three ain't bad." Cincinnati finishes 11-6 as their offensive line continues to be the reason why they can't win it all. Cleveland starts to look like they might be a legit team in 2024, putting together a decent 9-8 campaign. Pittsburgh hovers at .500 all season before ending the year with the same record as the Browns, 9-8.

AFC Playoff teams -- Jacksonville, Buffalo, Baltimore, Kansas City, Cincinnati, L.A. Chargers, NY Jets (tiebreaker)

NFC Playoffs:

Minnesota beats Carolina

San Francisco beats Washington

Detroit beats New Orleans

Philadelphia beats Detroit

Minnesota beats San Francisco

(NFC title game) - Philadelphia beats Minnesota

AFC Playoffs:

New York beats Buffalo

Baltimore beats Los Angeles

Cincinnati beats Kansas City

Jacksonville beats New York

Baltimore beats Cincinnati

(AFC title game) - Jacksonville beats Baltimore

Super Bowl: Jacksonville beats Philadelphia, 27-24

question of the day

Which of these scenarios below has the BEST chance of happening in the upcoming 2023 campaign?

* Bills finally get the brass ring, finish 13-4 and win the Super Bowl.

* Bengals go 13-4 and win their first ever Super Bowl.

* Chargers, Herbert unseat Chiefs in AFC West and advance to the Super Bowl.

* Rodgers does the impossible, leads Jets to AFC East title and to the Super Bowl.

* Steelers bottom out, go 7-10, Tomlin finally suffers losing season in Pittsburgh.

* Watson, Browns come out of nowhere, win AFC North at 12-5.

Me?

Of all of those things, I'd say the one that has the BEST chance of happening is Pittsburgh going 7-10. I think Buffalo could win it all. Cincinnati could win it all. The Chargers and Jets could both somehow work their way into the Super Bowl.

But the best chance of all of those things I listed would be Pittsburgh finishing at 7-10. Personally, I don't see that happening. But they have a better chance of going 7-10 than any of those other things definitely happening.

And you?

Wednesday September 6, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3298

ok, here are your answers

I'll try to knock off a bunch -- and I mean more than just 3 or 4 -- of your questions today here at #DMD.

My goal? Ten.

Let's see if I can do it.

I start these Q&A sessions with good intentions and then I get long winded with my answers and I only wind up getting to four or so of them.

Today's gonna be different, you watch and see.

As for last night's O's win, that was also "different", if you will.

The Birds had it all under control for six innings, then Jorge Lopez, Danny Coulombe and Jacob Webb conspired to throw away the game before the Hapless Halos helped out in the 9th and 10th innings and the O's pulled out a 5-4 victory in 10 innings.

Up 4-3, Brandon Hyde gave D.L. Hall a chance to close out the game in the bottom of the 9th but he couldn't do it, as L.A. scored to tie the game the game at 4-4. Joel Krehbiel got the final out in the 9th with a runner on second, then earned the win when the Birds scored in the top of the 10th and Shintaro Fujinami shut down the Angels in the bottom half of the extra frame.

It wasn't pretty, for sure.

But you can file it under "a win is a win".

The Birds finish up the expected sweep of the Angels today, then travel east to start a 3-game series at Fenway Park on Friday.

And now...we get to the Q&A.

Alan asks -- "Not sure what you're planning on doing this year for weekly NFL predictions but I'm wondering if you have an upset or two for this coming's Week #1?"

DF says -- "I'm excited to report that we'll have a weekly "Picks" segment at #DMD but I'll no longer be steering that ship. Starting this Sunday, "Bet It All Paul" will be at the helm of our picks feature. Wager accordingly.

I don't know if these constitute "upsets" but I'll take Carolina to win in Atlanta and New England to beat the Eagles.

I haven't really looked at the Week #1 schedule much until just now when I went searching for a couple of upsets. The Cowboys/Giants game on Sunday night should be good. The Monday night tilt between the Bills and Jets should be entertaining as well.

If you thought you were Aaron Rodgers'd out over the summer, just wait until next week if the Jets somehow knock off the Bills on Monday evening.

It will make the Deion Sanders over-hype look like amateur night if Rodgers is 1-0 to start the season."

Mike Dotter asks -- "I know you have done this in the past but I'll ask you now that we're into September and the O's are winding down and the Ravens are starting up. Would you trade an O's appearance in the World Series for a 4-13 Ravens season in 2023?"

DF says -- "I love those Ravens. But there's no doubt about this one: The answer is "yes". I've waited 40 years to see the Orioles play another World Series game. If the exchange for that is one terrible Ravens season, so be it. I hope that doesn't make me a bad fan."

Conway asks -- "Hypothetical question here, but if Messi and the Miami MLS team played the Washington D.C. team in Baltimore, what would the crowd be at Ravens Stadium?"

DF says -- "I was waiting for the punch line but it never came. This is a serious question? It would be a sell out. And the price for tickets on the secondary market would be outrageous. 70,000 would be there to see him play."

Larry asks -- "DF, any thoughts about the big "25 Year Anniversary Celebration" at the old radio station that you, Clark, Conn and the others have not been asked to be part of? Seems like a low blow if you ask me?"

DF says -- "I don't know much about it, but I think it's obvious that "all of us" (who were there in the 2000-2014 range) were a significant part of the station, whether we're included in a celebration or not. It's not like we suddenly weren't part of the station's history, right?

It's obviously a little complicated with a number of the station's ex-employees now being full time at 105.7. But not inviting those guys -- Haynie, Long, Conn, Clark, Weinman -- to be part of an event or a celebration (if one is even happening) would be akin to the O's not putting Nick Markakis or Adam Jones in the team's Hall of Fame someday just because they went on to play for other teams after they left the Orioles.

I'm not speaking for those guys, either. For all I know, they wouldn't want to be involved. I guess all I'm saying is anyone who listened to the WNST from 2000-2014 knows who was on the air and who was providing the content and who wasn't. It's all good."

Jonathan asks -- "How hard is it for guys like Rob Long and Jason La Canfora to go on the radio and speak honestly about the Orioles while they're getting paid by the team?"

DF says -- "That's really a question for Rob and Jason, not me. I will, though, point out that they're not actually getting paid by "the team", they're getting paid by the TV network that broadcasts the team's games. Now, I'm not naive. The owner of the TV network also owns the baseball team. So there's definitely a connection there.

Rob's been doing the MASN stuff for a while now. He knows how to handle things. When the team loses or isn't playing well, I don't think he dodges that in the least on the radio. I think he does a good, fair job of presenting the facts and not making it personal, per se, which is all the network probably asks of him.

Jason is new to the MASN TV gig so I'm sure he's still trying to figure it all out. On the radio, you're pretty much free to say whatever you want, within reason of course. On TV, you have to be careful not to make it personal. Jason's a media veteran. He knows how to handle that part of the business."

Bill P. asks -- "What's your 2024 prediction for Tiger Woods now that the 2023 PGA golf season is over?"

DF says -- "I think you'll see the same sort of timeline that you've seen in recent years. He'll play in the Father/Son event in December with Charlie. He might tee it up the week before in the Hero World Challenge that he runs. That will give him a good idea of where he stands -- no pun intended -- in terms of returning to the competitive game.

Unlike previous years, though, I assume he'll try to play an event here and there next January, February and March to get ready for the Masters.

He will tee it up at Augusta next April. You can bet on that. How will he play? There's no way of knowing. I'll continue to say the same thing I've said about Tiger for the last three years or so.

It's not the "golf" he can't handle. It's the walking. I just don't think he can handle the walking over four or five days (practice round included). I'm not saying he'll never win again. We all saw in 2019 that it's dumb to bet against him. But I think the odds are very, very slim that he wins #83."

Lynn asks -- "Hi Drew, I assume you're going to Camden Yards to see Bruce this Saturday? Any songs in particular you're hoping to hear? Have you seen the recent set lists for the New Jersey shows? He's mixing up the songs a bit. It's my 10th show. I can't wait!"

DF says -- "I did notice the set list improvements over the last month or so. "Lonesome Day" and "Night" are both great openers. Either one of those would be awesome on Saturday night. Yes, I'll be there! Show #29 for me.

I'd love to hear Bobby Jean, Rosalita and Blinded By The Light. "Blinded" has been a soundcheck song recently so the guess here is it gets put into the setlist rotation this week. Hopefully we'll hear it on Saturday night."

James Crossley -- "For your Q&A column, I'm wondering if you think the Orioles should extend Elias and Hyde after this season to make sure they're both around for the next 3-5 years at least?"

DF says -- "I don't see why you wouldn't do that if you're the Angelos family. I mean, if you give them both 5 year deals and the team somehow inexplicably blows up and collapses, you can just can fire them both and pay off what you owe them. It's only money.

If your question is more about "do they deserve an extension?", the obvious answer is "yes". I mean, they're going to win 100 games and win the A.L. East. They might very well go to the World Series. What more do you want from the GM and the Manager? Extend them, pay them what they're worth, and on we go."

Mark asks -- "Give me one NFL team that will beat their projected win total for 2023."

DF says -- "I had to Google "projected win totals for 2023" in order to see those numbers. It's between New Orleans, Carolina and New England.

The Panthers' total is 7.5 wins. The Patriots' total is 6.5. The Saints' win total is higher: 9.5.

Carolina and New Orleans play in a fairly soft division. New England plays in (now) a very tough division. I can see the Patriots going 1-5 in the division or 2-4 at best.

The Panthers could flip that script. They might go 4-2 in their division.

But I think New Orleans, with Derek Carr, could sneak out 10 wins.

I'll go with the Saints to beat 9.5 wins and finish 10-7 and win the NFC South by one game over the Panthers."

Bart asks -- "Jimmy Buffett, Underrated or Overrated? And while you're at it, how about your top 3 all-time most underrated albums?"

DF says -- "I never owned a Buffett record or saw one of his live shows but I think he was very underrated. He didn't produce music. He produced a "vibe". People planned their summer months around seeing Buffett shows in various parts of the country. I think he carved out a great career for himself.

Three underrated albums? These are easy:

The Cars, Panorama -- Extremely underrated. "You Wear Those Eyes", "Up and Down" and "Misfit Kid" are great songs.

Better Than Ezra, Deluxe -- A top 25 album of my lifetime. Enough said. Extraordinarily underrated.

Warren Zevon, Excitable Boy -- The most underrated album ever. Amazing song writing, great music. Any guy who can write a clever tune like "Werewolves of London" and turn it into a smash hit deserves all the accolades he can get. Zevon was a genius."

	The Stats Nerd And His Numbers
Contributed by #DMD's data and numbers analyst The Stats Nerd

The 2023-2024 NFL season is finally at hand and I, for one, could not be happier. Once again the AFC North is generally expected to be a race between the Bengals and the Ravens. In fact, the Las Vegas consensus seems to be:

Bengals

Ravens

(Gap)

Browns

(Large Gap)

Steelers

The AFC North does have one of the easier scheduling constructs, at least on paper, with matchups against the AFC South and the NFC West. Arguably, 4 of the 6 or so worst teams in the NFL are in those divisions in Houston, Indianapolis, Arizona and LA Rams.

Anyway, let’s drill down and see what each team’s outlook is:

Cincinnati Bengals (Over/Under win total: 11.5)

The story here has been and will continue to be the health of Joe Burrow. All indications are that he will start Week 1 against the Browns.

The weak point for the Bengals recently has been their porous offensive line. They arguably would have won Super Bowl LVI against the Rams if Burrow hadn’t been sacked 7 times.

To shore up the line the Bengals went out and signed the mercurial LT Orlando Brown Jr. He clearly improves their quality up front. Some pundits argue that Brown’s successes have come in front of mobile QBs in Lamar and Mahomes. Joe Burrow is not that, of course. I think that is splitting hairs and he is a clear upgrade in a position of need.

The Bengals have been fairly fortunate with respect to injuries the last 2 years. Jamarr Chase did miss some time last year but outside of that their key offensive pieces have been largely available.

Offensively they are simply a problem. If their O-Line is even marginally better they have the best receiving weapons in the league and an explosive back in Joe Mixon.

If there are concerns it is that they lost 3 of their 4 starting secondary. Their starting RT La’el Collins was put on the PUP list meaning he will be out for the first 4 games. They also have relatively tough road games in SF, Jacksonville and KC.

Keys: Health of Burrow and the receivers. Good luck covering all 3 of those guys for 60 minutes if they remain healthy. Nevertheless, getting to 12 wins seems like a tall task so I lean UNDER 11.5.

Baltimore Ravens (Over/Under 10.5)

Well all the oxygen last year was sucked up with the nonstop talk of Lamar and his long term status. That is resolved but the questions now surround the implementation of Todd Monken’s new offense.

This is far and away the best skill position group the Ravens have ever had (at least on paper). At this point, all are seemingly healthy too which has to feel like a win for the coaching staff.

The concerns for this team seem to be the same questions we fans have every year: who is going to pressure the opposing QB consistently and how will the secondary hold up without their clear #1 early in the season. Throw in the uncertainty of a new offensive system and it’s clear there are reasons to wonder.

Keys:Can Lamar play a full season? How effective will OBJ and Bateman be coming of injuries? How dynamic can rookie WR Zay Flowers actually be? Can the team just remain healthy? I’m going to lean OVER 10.5 with a relatively comfortable schedule albeit some odd travel situations.

Cleveland Browns (Over/Under 9.5)

I don’t know what to think about this team. They obviously have mortgaged their future on the arm and legs of their QB Deshaun Watson. They are also getting a lot of noise about their upgrade receivers in the form of Amari Cooper and Elijah Moore.

There is a lot of buzz surrounding this team and, frankly, I don’t see it. I guess the hypothesis is that Watson will revert back to pre-suspension form or close to it.

But even if Watson does improve his quality, let’s just say I don’t think the league is scared of that WR room. Moore was something of a home run hitter in college at Ole Miss but has caught a grand total of 80 balls in the League and was basically an afterthought for the Jets. Cooper is a clear #1 receiver but certainly not in the elite class with Chase, Jefferson, Diggs, etc.

Defensively they still have Myles Garrett who is maybe the best DL player not named Aaron Donald. Also, I had completely forgotten that they acquired Z’Darius Smith from the Vikings.

They lost a lot of close games without Watson under center last year for a large portion of the season. But to be honest even when he came back he was rather bad so who knows.

Keys: This team is a complete crapshoot. It seems to me their entire year is predicated on a return to form of Watson. If he does they could win 11 or 12 games. If not, this could easily be a 5 or 6 win team. I don’t like either side of the number but if I had to choose I guess I’d ever so slightly go UNDER 9.5.

Pittsburgh Steelers (Over/Under 8.5)

This is probably the one I am most confident in. TJ Watt is starting the season fully healthy and their defense should be extremely stout particularly up front. Their secondary is an annual question mark but I think Joey Porter Jr. will be nasty once he gets up to NFL game speed.

As usual they have a strong WR room with Pickens, Johnson and Allen Robinson. Beyond those top 3 they do get a bit thin, however.

But this season will likely all come down to the development of Kenny Pickett. If he is even just a replacement level NFL QB this could be a surprising team.

Keys: Really the development of Pickett is all the keys that need to be addressed. Last year he threw a whopping 7 TDs in 12 started games and actually had more interceptions (9) than TDs. Not good. But he seemed to get more comfortable as the season went along. I think he takes a step up to at least average and the Steelers go OVER 8.5.

I enjoy looking at these season totals The modern NFL is a game of razor thin margins with one score games the rule rather than exception. With games that consistently close, prognosticating a full season of wins is a fraught exercise and yet, here we are.

A few others throughout the league that pique my interest include the Washington Commanders strong OVER 6.5, NE Patriots lean OVER 7.5, and Buffalo Bills lean UNDER 10.5.

Enjoy the football.

Tuesday September 5, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3297

let the good breaks keep comin'

As I watched last night's game from Anaheim, the O's looked a bit listless early on.

Three games in Arizona and a quick trip up to L.A. without a day off might do that to you, I guess.

But buoyed by a fortunate break with the Angels' lineup and Gunnar Henderson doing Gunnar Henderson things, the Birds pulled out a 6-3 win over the Hapless Halos last night in Southern California.

Henderson homered in the top of the 7th to break open a tight 3-2 game and Grayson Rodriguez continued to shine with another solid start -- albeit against a barely-major-league lineup -- as the Birds improved to 3-1 on this important 9-game road trip. Henderson, Ryan Mountcastle and Jordan Westburg all collected two hits on the night.

The O's were contained at the outset by Angels' lefty Kenny Rosenberg, who went 6 innings and allowed 7 hits and 3 earned runs. But they pounced on reliever Gerardo Reyes in the 7th after he had recorded two quick outs to start the inning. Mountcastle singled, Anthony Santander walked and then Henderson continued his assault on the A.L. Rookie of the Year award with a homer to seal the deal.

The big break for the Birds didn't come in the form of Reyes coming in to start the 7th. The good fortune actually started before the game when A.L. MVP-to-be Shohei Ohtani was pulled from his start as L.A.'s designated hitter with tightness in his oblique. Without Ohtani in the lineup, the Angels went from having little chance to win to zero chance to win.

And with Tampa Bay losing at home to Boston, 7-3, the Birds now own a 4-game lead in the loss column with 25 games remaining. This thing might be all but over by the end of next week when Brandon Hyde's team takes 3 of 4 from the Rays in Baltimore.

Two more wins in L.A. are likely and then it's off to Boston for a weekend showdown with the Red Sox at Fenway Park. When the Birds kick-off the big series with Tampa Bay on Monday, the season will have been chiseled down to a 20-game sprint to the finish line.

It's a sprint, by the way, the O's are going to eventually claim by reaching the 100-win total.

Ain't the beer cold?

If you didn't see last night's Clemson-Duke football game, you missed something pretty amazing and, I assume, a night you won't see again in the near future. If ever again, actually.

Duke beat the visiting Tigers, 28-7. But that's not what was amazing.

Clemson recorded 12 more first downs than Duke.

The Tigers rushed and threw for more than 200 yards each and outgained Duke by 48 yards overall on offense.

Clemson had four trips in the Duke red zone and came away with zero points out of those four opportunities. Duke blocked two field goals and the Tigers fumbled the ball twice. Zero points. Four red zone trips and zero points.

In their history, Clemson had run and thrown for 200 yards or more in the same game on 108 occasions prior to last night. They were 108-0 in those games.

People bet on these college football games, man. It's amazing, huh?

Oh, and speaking of betting, did I see correctly that Towson was a 38.5 point underdog at College Park on Saturday and only lost by 32 because Mike Locksley played the Fresh/Soph roster in the final 25 minutes of the game?

I can only imagine those who wagered on the Terps were thrilled with that result.

I'll bring my own lighter, gambling related, story to this morning's edition. It happened in the mid 1990's and I've never forgotten it.

I'm going to do my best to withhold the names simply so it doesn't cause some sort of stir. That's not really the intention, anyway. I'm just taking a trip down memory lane with this one and thought it would be funny to pass along almost 30 years later.

In my days in the soccer business, I would often dine for lunch at a small restaurant on Park Avenue called The Light House. It was a favorite hang out for folks in the airline industry who would stay across the street at the Hilton Hotel (which later became The Omni).

It also, as I discovered, was a quiet place of refuge for baseball umpires who were in town.

I was in there one summer afternoon having a sandwich and an iced tea when an employee asked me if I was a baseball fan.

When I answered in the affirmative, he mentioned that a certain (popular) umpire was sitting at the corner table having lunch.

"Come on over and I'll introduce you," the employee said.

The three of us sat at the table -- me, the umpire and the restaurant employee -- and, I assume because I was with someone he knew and trusted, the ump started telling stories.

He talked about a call he missed -- with a laugh -- in New York earlier in his career because he didn't like Reggie Jackson.

He joked about throwing Tommy Lasorda out of a game once because Lasorda stuck the umpire with a $90.00 drink bill at a Philadelphia nightspot when the Dodgers' manager told the waitress, "That guy over there is my Uncle, he's picking up my table's bill."

Greg Luzinski of the Phillies once called him "fat" after a disputed third strike and the ump said he told the umpiring crew to ring Luzinski up on any appeal throughout the rest of the season when they had the Phillies.

And then he talked about that night's Oriole starter and how much he had grown to dislike him over the years.

"I hate the way he scowls at us after every pitch that doesn't go his way," the umpire said to us.

"I'm going to squeeze that plate so tight tonight it's going to make his head spin," he then said. "He better split the damn dish with every single pitch."

"So you're saying 'Bet the (XXXXX) tonight, huh?" the restaurant employee said with a smile.

"If you're a smart man, yes," the ump said and the two of them broke out in laughter.

It dawned on me this wasn't the first time the two of them had shared in that conversation. I can only imagine there were other occasions of pre-game banter like that in the past where wagering suggestions were made by that very umpire.

I checked out the boxscore the following morning and there it was: 5 walks in 6 innings of work for the O's starter in a game the Birds lost.

I was too naive to know anything about neighborhood wagering back then but I could have made a nice little bundle that night if I would have found someone to take the bet and said, "Give me the (XXXXX) tonight for $500."

And these days, on any occasion where I hear one of the TV analysts say, "And that's a career high in walks tonight for him," it always makes me wonder.

	"Randy On The O's"
Randy Morgan takes #DMD readers through the recent week in Orioles baseball as the Birds try to lay claim to the 2023 A.L. East title.

orioles week in review

Week Record: 4-2

Season Record: 85-51

AL East Standing: 1st Place (+3.5 on TB; +11.5 on WC)

Magic Number: 22

Player of the Week:

Gunnar Henderson .320 AVG 7R 3BB

The Orioles picked up two more series wins in another successful week and then started off Labor Day week with a win in Los Angeles last night.

They were disappointed to only take two out of three from the White Sox after breezing through the first two games, then managed to bounce back from a series opening loss in Arizona to take that series.

The week started strong for the O’s with a comprehensive 9-0 win at Camden Yards. Grayson Rodriguez delivered another nearly unhittable performance, allowing just one hit in six scoreless innings and striking out six. The offense put the game away with a five-run 8th inning rally, leading to a 9-0 victory.

Dean Kremer followed that with a similar outing on Tuesday, continuing his resurgent second half. Kremer went six innings as well, with just one run allowed and five strikeouts. Again it was an 8th inning rally that put the game out of reach en route to a 9-3 win.

The Birds seemed well on their way to a sweep after jumping out to an early lead on Wednesday, but Kyle Gibson imploded once again and the offense couldn’t recover in a 10-5 loss. Gibson’s struggles since the All-Star break are becoming a real concern as the playoffs draw near.

The team packed its bags and shipped out to Arizona where they began a three game set with the Diamondbacks on Friday. Cole Irvin struggled in the opener, allowing eight hits and four runs in his 5.2 innings.

The Orioles actually took the lead in the top of the 1st, but Irvin gave it right back and the Birds could never quite catch up. It was a shame, as Gunnar Henderson put on a masterful defensive performance, producing several web gems in a span of a few innings.

The O’s bounced back over the weekend, thanks in large part to their de facto Ace, Kyle Bradish. The team’s most reliable starter churned out another quality start on a night where he didn’t have his most dominant stuff.

Bradish still managed to get through six innings with just two runs allowed, limiting the damage in his one poor inning and racking up six strikeouts. It was enough for the O’s offense, powered by a three-run bomb from Cedric Mullins, to get the 7-3 win.

On Sunday the Birds secured another series win, despite another rough start from Jack Flaherty. The O’s got to Zac Gallen early, with clutch hits from Ryan O’Hearn and Gunnar Henderson to stake a 4-1 lead after two. Arizona came back to take the lead at 5-4, but then a four-run rally in the sixth, capped by doubles from Jordan Westburg and Adley Rutschman, put the Orioles in the lead for good.

With the Tampa Bay Rays going 3-2 in their five games against the Marlins and the Guardians, the O’s managed to extend their AL East lead slightly. They also remain 10.5 games clear of the Wild Card chasers.

Player of the Week was a two man race, with both Gunnar Henderson and Anthony Santander leading the Birds offense last week.

The tiebreaker was an exceptional week of defense from Gunnar. The young budding superstar looked like a potential Gold Glover at shortstop this week, with an over the shoulder catch and throw out of Corbin Carroll that will surely go on the season highlights.

Gunnar is a special player, and I’m not sure the O’s have had anyone with the same combination of talent and all out effort in a long time.

The offense had a good week all around and both Adley Rutschman and Ryan O’Hearn deserve a mention for their solid contributions on the week. On the mound it was another standout week for Grayson Rodriguez and Kyle Bradish.

In addition, another pitching prospect may be starting to come good, with DL Hall pitching 3.2 innings of shutout ball, with five strikeouts and just one hit in three appearances from the bullpen.

Down on the Farm –

The big news from the Orioles minors came late on Sunday, when it was reported that 2022 number one pick and near-consensus number one overall MLB prospect Jackson Holliday will be promoted up to Norfolk next week for the conclusion of the AAA season.

It has been a remarkable first season for the 19 year old, who went 3-4 on Sunday to lift his AA OPS to .928 and will now have been promoted four different times in one season.

Earlier in the week it was Colton Cowser and Joey Kreihbel who were promoted from Norfolk to the big leagues with the September roster expansion. However, Cowser was sent back down when Aaron Hicks returned from injury.

In Norfolk there was more good news on the pitching front, where John Means had his most promising rehab start yet. Means threw five innings of one-hit ball with six strikeouts and no runs. It was reported that he will make one more start at Norfolk and then should be in line to return to the Orioles (more on that below).

The top two power prospects both surged this week in Norfolk, with Coby Mayo leading the way earlier in the week and Heston Kjerstad finishing strong with a 3-5 game Sunday including a long home run. Mayo’s recent hot streak has lifted his AAA OPS to .864, putting him right around the same production as Kjerstad and Joey Ortiz.

Also at Norfolk, starter Chayce McDermott produced another dominant start and continues to rise up the pitching prospect watch list. McDermott went seven innings, allowing one run on two hits with seven strikeouts and only one walk in a 6-4 win on Saturday. That leaves him with a 2.56 ERA in nine games since being promoted to Norfolk.

Elsewhere in the minors, Dylan Beavers continues to be a solid battery mate for Jackson Holliday at Bowie, with another solid week leaving him at an .859 OPS in AA. Down in Delmarva, top 50 prospect Samuel Basallo added another three homers this weekend as he winds down a season that has seen his stock rapidly rising.

Question of the Week –

As mentioned above, former All-Star starter John Means completed his most impressive outing of his minor league rehab and may be just one start away from re-joining the major league team. This brings us to the question of the week.

Where does John Means fit into the Orioles pitching staff?

In the past few rehab starts, Means has begun to look back to his old self with life on his breaking stuff and increasing velocity. While he may still be building up some stamina, he has already been extended to near starter level pitch counts.

Judging by his usage in the rehab stint, the front office appears to be prepping him to rejoin the starting rotation at some point. Contrasted with Tyler Wells who has worked exclusively out of the bullpen in his return to the minors, Means has started in each outing, even the much shorter earlier rehab appearances.

Currently the Orioles are running a six-man rotation, which would provide a solid foundation for Means to return and get extra rest. Nevertheless, the difficult decision is which starter gets pushed out if Means takes one of those rotation spots.

Kyle Gibson and Jack Flaherty have been pulling down the rotation for the past month or more, but would the front office give up on their trade deadline acquisition that fast or remove their most experienced starter?

Cole Irvin has been back and forth between the rotation and long man duties this season, so maybe he is the most likely candidate to move to the bullpen. Whatever the move is, it would seem to be prudent to get a look at Means as a starter down the stretch. If he can recapture most of his former effectiveness he could be the missing piece to fill out a reliable four or five man playoff rotation.

The other option would be to use Means as the long man out of the bullpen, similar to what Cole Irvin was doing before the expanded rotation. He could probably be useful in that capacity, though if that were the plan you would think he would have come out of the pen in Norfolk at least once before returning to Baltimore.

Either way, the performance of Means in AAA is another positive sign for the Orioles pitching staff. There is room for both the rotation and bullpen to continue to evolve down the stretch and having options like Means, along with Tyler Wells, Bryan Baker and maybe even Chayce McDermott, certainly can’t hurt.

This Week –

The Orioles road trip continues this week with three games in California against the Angels. The O’s might be catching the Angels at the right time as they seemingly just waived the white flag on their season by releasing all of their trade deadline acquisitions.

They are also without the injured Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani has been shut down from pitching for the year with a UCL injury. The Angels lost seven of their last ten heading into the series and then dropped Monday’s opener to the Birds, 6-3.

After a day off on Thursday, the Birds will head back to the east coast for a three game set in Fenway Park with the Red Sox. Boston has slowly drifted out of the playoff picture in a disappointing season, sitting a distant 5.5 games behind the last Wild Card place. They enter the week losing six of their last ten.

Monday September 4, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3296

it's almost "that time"

Happy Labor Day to all!

While it's still technically summer in these parts -- confirmed by the upper 90's temps we're going to feel here this week -- the arrival of Labor Day weekend always reminds us that fall and winter are right around the corner. I hope you've had a great summer with your family and friends.

I sure have.

So, if the arrival of September and Labor Day weekend serves as a bit of bad news for you, I'm here to report good news:

Yesterday was the last Sunday without NFL football until late January.

Are you happy now?

In these parts, the impact of the Ravens' upcoming season might be a tad diminished because of the sizzling baseball team that's headed to the playoffs, but the importance of the arrival of the NFL campaign can't be overstated enough.

Football season is upon us once again.

My social media pages are filled with fantasy football drafts. Personally, I don't play in any fantasy leagues, but I get the appeal. Justin Jefferson of the Vikings has apparently been the consensus first pick in most drafts I've seen listed publicly. I get that, too.

In Baltimore, the Ravens will kick off the campaign next Sunday at home vs. the rebuilding Texans, who will apparently start rookie C.J. Stroud at quarterback. I'm sure Stroud is thrilled to be playing in the NFL and all, but I suspect next Sunday will not be a memory for his memoirs when it's all said and done.

A rookie QB making his professional debut just doesn't come to Baltimore and fare well. Expect a blowout, along with a tough day for Stroud.

We'll start previewing the NFL season tomorrow here at #DMD. As always, the whole thing comes down to injuries.

Can Joe Burrow stay healthy? If he does, the Bengals have a great chance.

Wait, what if Ja'Marr Chase gets hurt in week 5 and he's done for the year? Oh, well, in that case, the Bengals don't have much of a chance.

The same goes for Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce in Kansas City.

And Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs in Buffalo.

And, yes, Lamar Jackson in Baltimore. Because the Ravens aren't quite sure what they have at wide receiver yet, it's impossible to know if losing Zay Flowers or Odell Beckham Jr. would wreck them like losing Chase would wreck the Bengals, but we all know if Lamar gets hurt, the season's over.

Such is life in the NFL. It's a quarterback's league. If you have one, you have a puncher's chance. If you don't have one, you're not winning any games of significance in January, if you even make it that far.

We'll start previewing our thoughts on the NFL season this week here at #DMD. We're looking forward to what appears to be a promising campaign for John Harbaugh's team.

When the O's dropped the series opener on Friday night in Arizona, things weren't looking all that promising for a successful weekend in the desert, particularly with Diamondbacks' stud Zac Gallen set to pitch the series finale on Sunday.

Two days and two wins later, all is right with the world. The Birds are now an 85-win team after Sunday's 8-5 victory and still maintain a 2.5 game lead in the A.L. East. Brandon Hyde's team starts a 3-game series with the Angels in L.A. tonight.

Twitter ("X") was filled with folks lamenting another lousy start from recent acquisition Jack Flaherty, who couldn't even make it out of the 5th inning without allowing four earned runs.

I understand the agitation. Flaherty hasn't done much since coming over at the trade deadline. But it's also fair to remember he won't necessarily be needed in October, depending on how the club decides to handle Grayson Rodriguez.

The guess here is the post-season rotation looks like this: Bradish, Kremer, Gibson and Rodriguez, with Cole Irvin and Flaherty available for "long duty" in the event something weird happens and one of the starters is ineffective early and can't get past the 3rd or 4th inning.

So, while Flaherty hasn't done much to beef up the team's starting rotation, it's not like the O's are "make or break" just because of him. If he walked into the trainer's room today and said, "Hey, man, my shoulder is gone. I'm finished for the season," the O's would just roll on without him. That's not a low blow. It's just a fact.

And now it's on to Anaheim, where the Birds face an Angels team that has completely packed it in.

Sure, they still have Shohei Ohtani, but that's pretty much about it. They've lost 10 of their last 13 and were just swept over the weekend by the A's in Oakland.

It might sound greedy to say this, but it's true: The Orioles should be very disappointed if they don't take 3 of 3 against the Angels. They are ripe.

And then it's on to Boston, where the O's could just about snuff out any last ditch hopes of the Red Sox earning a wild card playoff spot. Wouldn't that be nice?

While the O's are still out west, the Rays will host those same Red Sox for three games before Seattle visits Tampa Bay for a 4-game set starting on Thursday.

The Birds don't have that A.L. East locked up quite yet, but next week's 4-game series in Baltimore should just about do the trick unless something really weird happens over the next 7 days.

Ain't the beer cold?

The European Ryder Cup roster is almost finalized now, and it's looking like the event in Italy will be a real barnburner later this month.

The six automatic qualifiers for the European side aren't any surprise at all: Rory, Rahm, Hovland, Fitzpatrick, Hatton and Robert (Bob) MacIntyre will tee it up for captain Luke Donald in Rome.

His six picks, announced later today, are likely going to be: Ludvig Aberg, the rookie sensation from Texas Tech who won the European Tour's season finale yesterday in dramatic fashion, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Sepp Straka, Shane Lowry and Nicoli Hojgaard.

That's a team similar in nature to the U.S., with Aberg, Straka and Hojgaard rivaling -- experience wise -- the U.S. trio of Harman, Clark and Burns.

From 1 to 6, the Europeans have a slight edge:

Rory, Rahm, Hovland, Fitzpatrick, Hatton and Fleetwood (quality wise).

Scheffler, Koepka, Cantlay, Schauffele, Spieth and Thomas.

If that "starting six" played five matches, the Europeans would win out, I believe. Not by much, mind you. But their best six are better than our best six, I think.

The "next six" will likely be the deciding factor. Who has the better of it from the rest of the team?

And what will be the hot pairing that we're not thinking about heading into the Cup?

For the Americans, I can see Scheffler and Burns teaming up in the better ball format. If they win there, do you trot them back out for alternate shot?

One rumored pairing that's surfaced this week is that of Brooks Koepka and Rickie Fowler. Florida guys who hang out together and have been on American teams together in the past seems like a pretty good connection. But will their golf match up with the convenience of their partnership?

I also think a sneaky-solid duo could be Max Homa and Collin Morikawa. Whether they play early on Friday in the opening better ball match remains to be seen, but I like how their games mesh in alternate shot, for sure.

You can almost feel the pairing of Hovland and Hojgaard coming around to torture the Americans in the same fashion of Fleetwood and Molinari a few years ago. Rory or Rahm will get Aberg, one would expect, and that tandem might also be tough to beat.

Much like what U.S. captain Zach Johnson faced last week, European captain Luke Donald has several options for his last two picks. His first four are pretty much no-brainers; Aberg, Straka, Fleetwood and Rose. Then he has options to consider like Adrian Meronk, Alex Fitzpatrick, Yannick Paul and the guy we assume he's going with, Nicolai Hojgaard.

Sunday September 3, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3295

anyone else already had enough?

Well, that didn't take long.

We're one week into the college football season and I'm officially Deion'd out.

Anyone else fed up with the Colorado football coach?

I do understand what he's doing. A coach's job, in part, is made much easier if he or she has something external that serves as a motivating factor. Occasionally, if you don't have something concrete, you create it yourself and pass it on to the kids.

Deion Sanders has created the ultimate "us against the world" situation at the University of Colorado. It's not quite a professional wrestling skit, but it's awfully close.

Yesterday, they beat TCU, 45-42 in the season opener. On the road, no less. TCU, you might remember, played Georgia for the national championship last January. Saturday's victory by Colorado was certainly impressive. No two ways about it.

But afterwards, rather than the typical "I'm proud of our guys", "We knew it was going to be a hostile environment", "This team has a lot of heart" and "This one doesn't mean anything if we don't win next weekend", Sanders instead went on attack against an even easier foe than TCU.

He berated the media for "not believing in us".

"I know who you are," Deion said after the win.

"I got receipts. I know who told me this wasn't going to work here at Colorado. I remember. I told y'all we were gonna be good and a bunch of you said, 'No you're not.' We're not about to forget that."

It's the oldest trick in the coaching book. It's also tired. And boring.

Fighting with the media is about as lame as it gets. It's not the media's job to agree with you that your team is going to be good. Or that you've made the right recruiting signings. Or you're going to go on the road and beat TCU in the season opener.

The media isn't Colorado's promotional arm. The school's Media Relations Department will handle that all very well, I'm sure. The media's job is to report on the games. Occasionally, sure, they make predictions about who is going to win or lose but most of those are made with the accuracy of the family dog making the picks.

But for Sanders to turn yesterday's post-game press conference into a "we won't forget who didn't believe in us" moment was pretty much amateur hour.

You're 1-0, boss. It's not like you're 9-0 and just ran through Georgia, Alabama, Florida, UCLA, Oregon and Ohio State over a 6-week period.

Take it easy and let your kids enjoy this win without you blowing a bunch of hot air about "receipts" and warnings of "see what happens when you don't believe in us?"

It's also fair to point out, of course, that this is Deion's style. This is how he was as a player. Bigger than life. Showboating. Better than everyone else he went up against and not afraid to remind you of that.

But fighting with the media because they weren't sure you could make the jump from Jackson State to Colorado without a bump or two along the way is kind of silly.

It's OK to stand at the podium and brag about your team after they win. There is zero wrong with doing that.

And it's even OK to gather your team in the locker room and howl at the moon about receipts and no one believing in you and all that other material.

But scrapping with the media? Bush league.

Just enjoy the win, Coach, and move on to the next one. Oh, and once you lose, you better be ready to handle the aftermath.

The O's got a nice bounce back win last night, thanks in part to a timely 4th inning and Arizona manager Torey Lovullo falling asleep in that same frame.

The win was especially fruitful when Tampa Bay gave up the tying run in the bottom of the 9th and then squandered a 6-5 11th inning lead to lose in Cleveland, 7-6. The Birds are now up 3 games on the Rays in the loss column in the A.L. East with 27 games remaining in the regular season.

Cedric Mullins and Adley Rutschman homered last night and Kyle Bradish was again stellar on the mound, going 6 innings and allowing just 2 earned runs along the way.

Bradish will be the team's Game 1 playoff starter, by the way. That's about as etched in stone as it can get at this point.

Lovullo must have been getting a cup of coffee during the 4th inning when the O's uprising took place. The inning -- which commenced with the O's trailing 2-0 -- started out easy enough as Anthony Santander flew out to left field.

Arizona starter Slade Cecconi didn't record another out.

Ryan O'Hearn ripped a single to center field.

Austin Hays followed with a fortunate high chopper to third that resulted in an infield single.

Cedric Mullins then overwhelmed an over-the-plate meatball 390 feet into the seats to put the O's up 3-2.

Adam Frazier then ripped a double into the gap.

I can only assume Lovullo was somewhere in the clubhouse trying to find French Vanilla creamer or something like that. Where was he, at this point, to politely tell his starting pitcher, "You can't get anyone out...I have to take the ball from you here, kid."?

James McCann then followed with another double smashed into the gap.

Adley Rutschman than singled to right, just to rub salt in the wound. That made it 6-2 in favor of the O's and the ballgame was pretty much done at that point.

It's one thing if the Diamondbacks are the Rockies or the Pirates and you're just playing out the string for the last month of the sesason and you're interested to see what Cecconi has under the hood once he starts getting blistered by every guy who steps to the plate.

It's another thing, entirely, to be this Diamondbacks team that's in the pennant race fighting for a Wild Card spot and to leave your starter in there to get torched for 15 minutes.

Imagine the vitriol Hyde would get in Baltimore if he left a starter in there like Lovullo did last night. It wouldn't be pretty.

Oh, and speaking of the playoffs, I'm not sure how much they've noticed, but the American League playoff hopefuls should be figuring out how many lefties they can throw against the Orioles in October.

If all you have are right handed pitchers, you're in deep doo-doo.

If you have some lefties who can throw quality pitches, you might have a puncher's chance against the Birds.

But if you're filled with righties, I feel sorry for you.

Former Towson football coach Rob Ambrose gave the new guy, Pete Shinnick, quite a "welcome to town gift" when he handed him a trip to College Park for his Towson debut yesterday.

It went about the way you expected it would, as Maryland won 38-6 in a game, frankly, they could have won 58-6 if they wanted to win by that margin.

But credit goes to Mike Locksley, a Towson grad, for calling off the dogs in the 3rd quarter with his team comfortably ahead. I'm not sure he would have done that had Ambrose still been on the sidelines, but Shinnick's debut as the new Towson coach called for some generosity and Locksley complied.

Towson, needless to say, is totally out of their element playing a team of Maryland's caliber. That's not to say games against Big Ten or SEC schools shouldn't be scheduled because, as we know, there's both a practical reason for doing so and a financial reason, too.

When you play "up" a conference or two, it gives you the opportunity to see just how fragile you are in certain areas when comparing yourself to the big boys. And there's also a nice paycheck that comes along with losing 38-6 or 55-3 that helps stitch up the wounds quite nicely.

There isn't much of a scar when you get beat by 44 points but receive a check for $350,000 in exchange for it.

It's hard to say if Maryland is going to be any good this year based on what we saw yesterday, but from 35,000 feet, they appear as if they're a team who will certainly win more than they lose and appear in a bowl game of some kind in December.

Whether they can perhaps knock off one of the Big Ten elite along the way remains to be seen, but the bet here is they give either Penn State or Michigan a run for their money in College Park in November.

As for Towson, I hear from several people that Shinnick is working on a significant culture change on York Road and, while it might not all come together in 2023, there are good days on the horizon for the Tigers.

Towson's home opener against Monmouth next Saturday should provide the new coach with a fair glimpse at what he has for this season. There's a "down the street" trip to Morgan State the following week and then Norfolk State visits Towson on September 23rd.

It will be interesting to see where Towson is after these next three games and whether the new coach's message is starting to resonate with the Tigers.

Ambrose did cast a fairly big shadow at his alma mater. Shinnick has big shoes to fill, for sure.

Early reports I'm hearing are favorable, despite yesterday's 38-6 drubbing. It sounds like a cliche, but it's important nonetheless: The kids do enjoy playing for Shinnick. They're finding him fair and even-handed, which, according to some folks I chatted with this week, wasn't always the case with Ambrose.

Better days are in the future for Maryland football. And for Towson, as well.

Saturday September 2, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3294

not a great start to the trip

The wagering part of me suspected last night might have been a good opportunity to play the Diamondbacks.

I just don't trust Cole Irvin all that much.

Sure, his recent body work has been pretty good and all, but there's just something about him that worries me. David Wells or Jimmy Key, he's not.

And so, I wasn't all that surprised when he gave up a 2-run dinger in the bottom of the first inning to squander a 1-0 lead he'd been gifted in the top half of the inning.

Irvin settled in after that and wasn't horrible by any means, even though the home team hit the ball hard all night. And then there was that outstanding catch and throw from Gunnar Henderson that nailed a runner at the plate, even though I still suspect the O's got the benefit of a wrong call there. He sure looked safe to me.

So, the critical 9-game road trip starts off with a 4-2 loss to Arizona, a team fighting for their playoff lives in the National League. The O's have their post-season spot all-but-locked-up, but winning the division is supremely important. With Tampa's loss at Cleveland, Brandon Hyde's team still maintains a 1.5 game lead in the East.

There's no need to continue piling on as it relates to Gunnar Henderson, but we will nonetheless. The real deal called and said, "I'm impressed." That's how good that kid is.

It's been a long, long time since the O's have had a complete player like Henderson. I'll go as far as saying this and we'll see if I'm wrong someday in the future: He's better than Machado.

Enough said on Henderson for now, but there's not only an A.L. Rookie of the Year award waiting for him this winter, there's a league MVP honor in his future as well. The young man just oozes quality. And that he does it without flair, gaudy necklaces, bat flips, and slow trots around the bases is even more of a reason to be impressed with him.

You know what Gunnar Henderson is? He's a baseball player. A re-imagined version of Honus Wagner but with power, perhaps. I never saw Wagner play, obviously, but it feels like we're seeing him 100-plus years later right now in Baltimore.

Could the money and fame and fortune change Henderson down the road? Of course it might. It's hard to stay grounded when someone hands you $300 million and says, "There's more where that came from if you just keep doing what you do."

But for now, the O's have themselves a generational talent and then some in Gunnar. Go ahead and raise the ticket prices, John. We'll pay to keep him in orange and black since we know you're probably not going to do it.

My friend Mark checked in with a text early Friday evening that rattled my cage a bit.

"No buzz for the Ravens at all," he wrote.

To wit, I've had more texts and calls this week about tickets to see Bruce Springsteen next Saturday night in Baltimore ("know where I can get any?") than I have about Ravens tickets for the September 10 opener vs. Houston.

Now, before you think Mark is a fan of the Steelers or Commanders and was trying to get me going, that's not the case at all. Mark is Captain Diehard, basically. His basement looks like he works for the Ravens. He's had season tickets since they moved to the new stadium.

I have no way of proving this, but he says he's missed two home games since the team came to Baltimore. And one of those was to attend his father's funeral in Florida.

"No buzz for the Ravens at all" was followed by "I can't even get the guys who sit with me excited for the season."

I do think a little of that is hyperbole. There is some buzz for the Ravens, but as we've noted here in recent weeks, the anticipation for the start of the regular season has definitely been quelled by the play of the Orioles this season.

For most of the last 25 years, the O's were an afterthought by July 15 or so and football took over as soon as the first jumping jack was finished in either Westminster or Owings Mills.

I also believe the fact that very few of the starters play in the pre-season any longer also has something to do with the diminished level of enthusiasm around town.

I'm not suggesting the Ravens are doing it wrong by not letting the regulars play a half or more along the way. Pre-season football doesn't matter. Everyone finally figured that out. But at least getting to see Lamar play against the Eagles, Commanders or Buccaneers might have excited you for what lies ahead over the next four-plus months.

Alas, we're all just waiting until September 10 to see "real football".

I do think the O's are going to water down the start of the Ravens season. It just is what it is. It's been so long since Baltimore had a real shot at going to the World Series that it's only natural to stay connected to the baseball team throughout the month of September.

But once the O's are done, whenever that might be, the town's full attention will shift over to the Ravens and it will feel like old times once again.

It's also fair to note that the Orioles aren't the only reason why football enthusiasm seems a bit down in these parts. Ticket sales tell the story, too. As in, "good seats are still available" for all Ravens home games. There's been a general drop off in game-day excitement over the last few years, which we've chronicled here on numerous occasions.

More and more people are opting to stay home and "do football" within the cozy confines of their own home, man cave or backyard deck. Gambling and fantasy football have something to do with it, as do $16.00 beers and $28.00 crabcake sandwiches.

But if the Ravens do their part, as expected, and put together a playoff campaign with a shot at the Super Bowl, Baltimore will be covered in purple by early December.

"Give it time," I wrote back to Mark. "We're a baseball town right now."

Nothing else needs said. The Ravens are super-duper-important around here. We all appreciate them. But they'll have to wait until the end of the baseball campaign to feel our unconditional love once again.

The golf world is filled with rumors of an "Elite Global Golf Tour" that is hatching out of the supposed PGA Tour/LIV Golf alliance.

I was one of the (first) people to poo-poo the so-called "alliance" when it was announced last June. I said back then it would never actually materialize and I still think that way today. A formal PGA Tour/LIV "partnership" -- where players can play for both entities -- will never happen.

The rumored "Elite Global Golf Tour" would come out of the alliance, though, and serve to keep the Saudi-infused Public Investment Fund (PIF) involved in the sport of golf. It would loosely include 18 worldwide, 72-hole tournaments, inviting the top 50 players in the world to compete for a $40 million per-tournament purse.

It looks and smells like LIV Golf on steroids, if you will. LIV started out by promising their roster of players "less golf" with more money available to them. Moving forward, if the Elite Tour concept gets off the ground, there will be more tournaments, more rounds and, of course, more money.

I've read up enough on the Elite Global Golf Tour to know this: It might very well work for the players, but I'm not so sure it's going to work for the fans.

Professional golfers are like anyone else. They're very interested in working less and yet making more money. If Viktor Hovland has to play 24 tournaments to make $36 million and the new Elite Tour allows him the opportunity to make, say, $60 million by playing in 18 events, the math tells the story there.

So would the new circuit be good for the players? Seemingly so, yes.

Would it be good for golf, though?

I doubt it.

One thing that has quietly kept the PGA Tour's popularity intact over the last 20 years -- besides Tiger Woods -- is the "system" they have in place with regard to the varying levels of tournaments on their schedule.

The four major championships are king. Anyone who follows golf would agree with that. The prize money is bigger, yes, but it's the idea of making golf history that creates importance in the Masters, PGA, U.S. Open and British Open.

Then there's The Players. That event is a mini-major, if you will, mostly because of the prize money and the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass. There have been plenty of players who stood on that tee with a chance to win life-changing money and spit the bit in front of the whole world.

Along the way, you have several other significant tournaments, including Arnie's event in Orlando, Jack's event at Muirfield and, more recently, the FedEx Cup playoffs now that they no longer clash with the NFL season.

There are "smaller events", "medium events" and the ones I just listed above. Not every week is important to the golf world. I can name a half dozen or more tournaments I never watched for one minute this summer...and I'm a golf nut.

So, with that, creating a tour where all the best players gather together and play for silly amounts of money might not be the ratings-grab everyone on the inside thinks it will be.

The two coolest stories in 2023 were not Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka winning their respective majors. Not in the least.

The two coolest stories were Wyndham Clark and Brian Harman.

Golf loves an upstart, as do more sports. Golf loves stories. Golf loves guys like Harman, for example, who won the most important tournament of his life out of nowhere in July.

I don't know that I'm super excited seeing Scheffler duel it out with Cantlay and Fleetwood for $18 million week after week after week.

The players will love it. There's no arguing that.

But will golf enthusiasts love it?

I'm not sure.

And we haven't even touched on the Saudi influence and whether we can all stomach the idea of openly supporting those people, golf or otherwise.

We buy gas for our cars because we have to do it or else we're walking to work.

But we don't have to watch golf and support whatever attempt it is they're creating to sportswash their way around September 11, 2001 and the other atrocities they've been part of for the last 25 years or more.

Right now, we're just focusing on golf.

And I'm just not sure 18 tournaments with the best 50 players in the world is better for the sport than what they have right now.

Friday September 1, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3293

"are you a barstool guy?"

It's Friday.

And, somehow, it's September. Wasn't I just watching the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club like, two weeks ago?

That was in June. Time flies when you're having fun, I suppose.

Because it's Friday, we'll give way to the Q&A Mailbag around here today.

I have plenty of your questions to answer.

First, though, something personal I want to share simply because these opportunities don't come along very often and, as I told my Calvert Hall golf team last spring, when they do come around, you should never hide your excitement or appreciation.

Yesterday was the first official day of school at Calvert Hall for the '23-24 school year.

As weird as it sounds, I was really looking forward to the first day.

In fact, I had been anticipating day one for almost four months.

I walked in around 3 pm and headed to the main gym to look at something. I knew it was there. But I hadn't seen it yet. It was the final piece of the "championship puzzle", if you will.

Last spring, Calvert Hall Golf won the MIAA A-Conference championship, our first title since 2013. We participated in the usual festitivites connected with winning a championship.

We were showcased at the annual Spring sports banquet at the school in late May.

The team championship plaque was put into the display case outside of the athletic office.

The players and coaches all received the highly-sought-after gold jacket, which athletes receive if they are part of a championship team or if they're selected All-Conference in their particular sport. That jacket is particularly important because it also substitutes as a "sports coat" and can be worn throughout the school year in lieu of the sports coat.

We had a team party or two to celebrate our title, distribute commemorative tee shirts, etc.

But my favorite part of the championship wasn't immediate.

I got my gold jacket. It's awesome. A true keepsake.

I enjoyed the get togethers and seeing the players on the team revel in the title.

I'm thankful for all the well wishes from friends and supporters of the program. My social media pages have been filled with commentary about our victory over St. Paul's back on May 20.

My favorite thing about winning the championship was finally seen yesterday.

I walked into the main gym and looked up on the wall and there it was. At long last.

CALVERT HALL GOLF -- MIAA CHAMPIONS -- 2023.

I've always said "It's not official until they put it on the banner." And there it was, yesterday, on the wall, in the gym.

This was my second golf championship at Calvert Hall, but when we won the first one, back in 2013, that was my first year with the program and I felt, frankly, like all I did was steer the ship into the port. I was given a talented roster by the late Bernie McGinn and they were all just chomping at the bit to win a title.

The Cardinals had been in the semifinals three straight years before I got there for the 2013 campaign. I just needed to help them get over the hump. And they did.

So when we won that championship in my very first season at Calvert Hall, then-Athletic Director Lou Eckerl told me about the gold jacket and asked me to come in and get fitted for mine.

I passed on the gold jacket.

I privately explained to Lou that I wanted to win a title with my own team and my own players, that I picked, and that when that day comes, I'll then proudly receive and wear the jacket.

And, so, I now own a gold jacket.

But to me, nothing is more important than the banner.

Years from now, anyone walking into that gymnasium will see that Calvert Hall Golf won the championship in 2023. My players will come back for the annual Turkey Bowl party the night before Thanksgiving and they'll look up on that wall and see the banner.

My son will hopefully be attending basketball games and other events in that gym long after he's gone from Calvert Hall and he'll remember that his father coached that team in 2023.

God willing, he might even get his own gold jacket if he makes the varsity golf roster in the next two years and we win another title.

If not, though, there was always 2023. And by extension, as my son, he, too, was part of that.

I love the dinners and parties and gold jacket. I appreciate the kind words and the internet articles about the Cardinals winning the title.

But that banner...

There's just something about seeing "2023" on that banner.

It will be there forever.

Dane asks -- "Drew, who is the Orioles MVP this season?"

DF says -- "It's so close that I think it won't be decided until we see how things shake out in the final month. I think you have four guys right now who can be discussed; Felix Bautista, Anthony Santander, Kyle Bradish and Gunnar Henderson.

Bautista is in the lead, in my opinion, but his season's over. So he's going to lose ground to the other three over the final month. Without Bautista, there's simply no way the Orioles are in the first place with 29 games remaining.

Santander is having another terrific offensive season. He has really developed into a nice hitter.

Bradish won't get any consideration for Cy Young because he's an Oriole and no one's paying attention to him, but he's delivering an outstanding season thus far. He's 6th in ERA (3.03) and 12th in WHIP (1.11) among A.L. starters. He might only have 9 wins, but he keeps the O's in virtually every game he starts.

And then there's Henderson, who got off to a rocky start but has been spectacular at times over the last four months. With all due respect to Adley and the other young guns, Gunnar's the best baseball player on the team. He might be a year too early in terms of team MVP accolades, but if he gets hurt tonight in Arizona and can't finish the 2023 season, the O's would be in big trouble.

Right now, the MVP of the team is Bautista. But the nod will eventually go to Santander, I think, if he finishes with a strong September."

Richard Mercer asks -- "I have something for the Dish either as an artcile or in your Q and A section. I don't see you comment much on Barstool Sports and I was just curious what you think of them and whether you're a follower of their work or not?"

DF says -- "I have a lot of respect for what Dave Portnoy built. The name is so appropriate, because it all started as guys just sitting around at the bar talking about sports. That "common man" theme has really taken off over the last decade or so. Everyone has a podcast now. Everyone wants to be a guest on someone else's show to talk about football, baseball, etc.

I don't "follow" Barstool, per se. But that's not because I don't like it or don't care for the content. I think Portnoy's pizza reviews (if he still does them) were great. It showcased him as a regular guy despite owning a $500 million company. He built that business from the ground floor.

I'm probably not an ideal customer for them because of my age. I don't like the whole "we do it louder than everyone else" angle that a lot of Barstool guys utilize, but I understand that they're appealing to men and women much younger than me.

Just like some people think country music is great and I think it sounds like every song talks about breaking up with a girl on a dusty road with a cold beer and a hole in your blue jeans, I understand Barstool appeals to a certain segment of the population and I'm not really in that segment.

I think what they do is great. It's obviously turned into an incredible business for Portnoy. There's no way you can dispute that they're as good as anyone in the country at generating interesting content."

Carl asks -- "While I was checking out the Ryder Cup coverage this week I kept hearing Zach Johnson talk about his assistant captains and then I realized he has five of them. Can you explain why he has 5 assistant coaches for a 3-day golf event?"

DF says -- "Each of those assistant captains probably has a defined role of some kind, set up by Johnson well in advance of going to Rome next month.

My guess is a few of them are responsible for a "pod" of players. In other words, Fred Couples oversees Spieth, Thomas, Scheffler and Fowler. He hangs out with those four on the range, watches them practice, stays with their group during practice rounds, etc. He's responsible for reporting back to Johnson at the end of the day on how everyone's playing, striking the ball, etc.

One Assistant is probably responsible for event logistics. It might be Davis Love III. He's the contact person for practice round times, what time the bus picks everyone up at the hotel, food at the venue, clothing, etc.

As weird as it seems to have four or five assistant captains for a short event, they all do have some sort of role. They participate in discussions about pairings with Johnson. They monitor play on the course and keep him updated on what's going on. They stay in communication with the guys who aren't playing on Friday or Saturday to make sure they're still engaged and ready to go when next called upon.

They aren't just there for free wine and pasta. Assistant captains are very important pieces during the Ryder Cup."

Russ asks -- "What do you think the actual chances are that the Orioles move to Nashville? As you've probably seen recently, some other teams (White Sox, Rays) are dropping hints about moving and they all use Nashville as their leverage point. Only one team can move there. Is there a chance it's the Orioles?"

DF says -- Zero percent chance. None. It's not happening.

There's no way MLB owners would ever approve a team leaving Baltimore. It just wouldn't happen.

I realize we're all scarred in Baltimore because of the Colts moving in 1984, but this is entirely different. The Colts were playing in a rundown stadium and the team was terrible and the fans had, for the most part, checked out. We weren't to blame, per se, but the reality is the community got tired of being a punching bag for Robert Irsay and they said, "We're not coming to the games until you start producing a legitimate football team."

The Orioles are totally different. They play in a great ballpark, the franchise is relevant, despite not being any good for most of the last 25 years, and the blemish it would leave on baseball if the O's left Baltimore would be dramatic.

John Angelos can bellyache all he wants about "Camden Crossing" and the extra $300 million he wants, but he's not fooling anyone. He's not moving the team to Nashville."

faith in sports

Today's entry in "Faith in Sports" has been seen here before, but it's certainly worth another appearance. I have no idea how many of you reading this right now are longtime #DMD readers or recent friends who have discovered us in the last year or two.

And because it's former Oriole Chris Davis, I'm especially moved to air this video of Chris talking about his faith and how a life with Jesus Christ helped him navigate his Major League career.

It's 8 minutes long. I don't know what your opinion of Davis is/was before you watch(ed) this video, but I hope you see him in a new light now.

Thanks, as always, to our friends at Freestate Electrical for their continued support of #DMD and our "Faith in Sports" segment here every Friday.

Thursday August 31, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3292

is there something in the water?

The Orioles 9-game homestand against Toronto and also-rans Colorado and Chicago didn't go nearly as well as I suspected it might.

Sure, 6-3 is better than 5-4, 4-5 or otherwise, but losing three times to those teams might wind up haunting the Birds in a few weeks when crunch time rolls around.

Yesterday's 10-5 loss to the White Sox was particularly agonizing given that the Birds raced out to a 4-0 first inning lead and were seen laughing in the home dugout while they battered Chicago starter Dylan Cease.

15 minutes after taking a 4-0 lead, it was 4-4. 30 minutes after that, it was 7-4 in favor of the White Sox.

The good news? The O's still have a 2-game lead in the loss column over the Tampa Bay Rays.

More good news? After a 3-game set in Arizona against the Diamondbacks, the O's face three more bottom feeders thereafter, traveling to L.A. to play the Angels and Boston to take on the Red Sox. And then it's home to face the Cardinals.

That's a total of 12 upcoming games where something like 8-4 or 9-3 seems like a very reasonable expectation.

But we're now at the stage where any kind of slump or week-of-scuffling could be problematic for the O's, who will face Tampa Bay in a critical four-game series in Baltimore starting on September 14. These next 12 games are huge, particularly the ones against the Angels and Red Sox, both of whom are going to be watching the playoffs at home in October.

Wednesday's loss to the White Sox aside, the Birds have been fairly adept at handling scrub teams in 2023. That's why they're 83-50 at this point, right?

Now it's time to keep the pedal to the medal, win a couple of games in Arizona, then move on and help usher both the Angels and Red Sox into the off-season with two or three wins in each city.

Oh, and let's hope Brandon Hyde halts the Adam Frazier-in-left-field experiment. He's a second baseman, skip. We have several guys who can patrol left field. Frazier's not one of 'em.

And speaking of the outfield, how about the scoring change that took place yesterday in the loss to the White Sox?

In the 6th inning, Chicago's Tim Anderson hit a low liner to centerfield that skipped under the glove of Cedric Mullins and scooted all the way to the wall.

Two runs scored and Anderson scampered into third base standing up.

It was immediately ruled an error on Mullins, as it should have been. That was -- at the moment -- the second error of the day on the O's centefielder.

Two innings later, though, there was an adjustment.

The 6th inning error was changed to a triple for Anderson and Austin Voth had an additional earned run tacked onto his record.

Is there something in the water in that O's press box?

That was a fielding error on Mullins. Period.

The starting centerfielder for Towson University would have made that play. Heck, you probably could have made that play.

Why the scoring change?

I just don't get it.

It was an error, period. Nothing to be ashamed of, really. They happen all the time. But let's call it like it is.

That was an error. It wasn't a triple.

Do better, O's scorekeeper.

And stop being afraid of baseball players who might be angry because you credited with them an error.

Here's how you respond to Mullins or any other player when they're critical of your scoring decision: "Catch the ball next time."

The Ravens have always prided themselves on their full drafts, not just the 1st rounders they've hit on over the years.

Something's going on, though, when it comes to drafting cornerbacks.

I'm not here to say the Ravens can't successfully do it any longer. But the data shows something is amiss these days when it comes to scouting and selecting cornerbacks in the annual draft.

Don't believe me?

Here's what the Ravens have done, draft wise, since 2019.

2019 -- Iman Marshall (4th round)

2020 -- none

2021 -- Brandon Stephens* (3rd round)

2021 -- Shaun Wade (5th round)

2022 -- Jalyn Armour-Davis (4th round)

2022 -- Pepe Williams (4th round)

2023 -- Kyu Kelly (5th round)

*selected originally as a safety

Of those six, who stands out?

Right. None of them.

On Tuesday, the Ravens didn't even give Kyu Kelly a chance to impress or depress in the regular season. They cut him. That's very un-Raven like, and speaks volumes about both Kelly and their selection process. How could you swing and miss on a guy you just drafted four months ago?

Is there something in the water at Owings Mills?

What's going on with the drafting of cornerbacks?

It used to be that choosing a capable wide receiver gave the Ravens drafting fits. Now it appears to have shifted to the defensive secondary.

What's the story?

I'm starting to formulate my official thoughts for the 2023 NFL season and hope to have them all published here next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

I'm sure you're excited to hear who I think is going to the Super Bowl.

Here are a few teaser nuggets for you:

Chargers will have a down year.

Browns will have an up year.

A team in the NFC West will go 3-14.

A team in the NFC East will go 13-4.

Two AFC East teams will make the playoffs.

The NFC's Super Bowl representative will be a bit of a surprise.

The AFC's Super Bowl representative will win the conference championship game in overtime.

You should be ready to attend playoff football in Baltimore...in January.

Aaron Rodgers won't play a game in December for the Jets.

The AFC South will feature three teams each with 7 or fewer wins.

Steelers? No good.

Cowboys? No good.

Those two are music to your ears, right?

Oh, and by the end of the season, folks are gonna be asking this: "What's in the water in Los Angeles?"

question of the day

As you might have seen yesterday, the Nebraska women's volleyball team played a "match" (?) in the football stadium and 92,000 people showed up.

And, no, before you ask, it wasn't a crowd of 92,000 the way the Orioles might call it a crowd of 92,000. There were actually 92,000 people there, in the stadium, for the event.

It made me wonder.

What price would you pay to see a University of Maryland women's basketball game in Ravens stadium if the game had some kind of significant importance?

Let's make up a scenario for kicks-and-giggles.

Maryland's women's team is 32-0 and they're playing UConn's women's team and they're 32-0 as well.

It's for the national championship.

You have the chance to buy tickets and attend the game.

What would you be willing to pay?

* Nothing. Not interested. Sell the tickets to someone else.

* $5.00

* $10.00

* $25.00

* $50.00

* $100.00

Me? Well, I'll confess and say I'm likely not going. I'm just not that interested. But of the choices above that involve a monetary declararation, I'm probably maxing out at $10.00.

If I can get in for $10, I might venture down there and check it out.

But it's more likely I'm staying home and watching YouTube highlights of the 2008 U.S. Open that Tiger won at Torrey Pines.

What about you?

Wednesday August 30, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3291

(lots of) wednesday ramblings

The Orioles won. Again.

Their victory last night before a paltry crowd of 14,000 gives them 83 wins on the year. Last season, you might remember, the O's won 83 games, period.

83-59 right now has the O's well on their way to an improbable 100-win regular season.

If they played the White Sox every night, they'd finish 162-0.

At least the Angels are being "public" about the fact that they're canceling the rest of the season. The White Sox are trying to make it look like they're still being professional about everything, even though a glimpse at them actually playing (if, in fact, that's what they're doing) tells you something else.

I have my own beef with Chicago manager Pedro Grifol. It's personal and petty, admittedly, but it does point out the nuance in the way he has handled the White Sox this season.

Monday night in Baltimore, he gives Gavin Sheets the start at first base. Sheets had over 30 family members and friends there to see him, both from his days at Gilman and Hunt Valley Golf Club.

It's 4-0 in the 7th inning (the White Sox were losing, naturally) and Grifol removes Sheets for a pinch hitter because D.L. Hall, a lefty was coming into the game to pitch for the O's.

#clownshoes

You have 52 wins, Sir. One win in late August isn't saving your job. You're gonzo in five weeks.

Why not give a player you've mostly mistreated all season an extra at-bat in front the friends and family members he gets to see once every season?

It might be different if the O's and White Sox were in the same division and Chicago came to town two or three times. But that's not the case.

Then, last night, in a 9-3 loss to the O's, Grifol didn't make one in-game lineup adjustment. Sheets didn't start and didn't pinch hit, either. The White Sox just took their beating like an accommodating foe and headed back to the hotel.

Not being in touch with the importance of a player getting to play in front of his family and friends shows just how out of his element Grifol really is these days. And his team's record proves it.

If Chicago's 76-60 and in the middle of a pennant/playoff race? Totally different set of circumstances. At that point, you're managing to win and you're not worried about giving a lefty struggling against lefties a chance to improve or gain confidence. You're not interested in doing right by him and giving him an extra start or extra at-bat so his parents and grand parents can see him play.

The White Sox have 52 wins. And they have 52 for a reason. They're largely not even trying any longer.

But the manager isn't helping his own locker room, either.

Thankfully, we're not talking about the Orioles. Those days are a thing of the past.

Ain't the beer cold?

Embattled wide receiver James Proche finally got jettisoned in Baltimore yesterday, as he was among the last cuts made by the Ravens in advance of the September 10 season opener.

There were other names, too, that might have been a tad surprising. Brent Urban and Kevon Seymour were both released, along with 2023 5th round draft pick Kyu Kelly. The Ravens typically don't do that with draft picks, so Kelly must really be slow to learn the ways of the NFL.

It wouldn't be a shock to see both Urban and Seymour head to the team's practice squad. And don't be surprised if one or both of them find their way to the 53-man roster and the game-day squad against the Texans.

Veteran running back Melvin Gordon was released as well. While that wasn't a surprise, per se, it also likely means the Ravens are confident that J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards are both fully "good to go" for the September 10 opener.

Gordon could also sign a practice squad deal, although it's more likely he'll land somewhere else on a one-year contract.

Proche, though, was probably the biggest name to go on Tuesday.

A 3-year Ravens member, he was more known for dropping passes then catching them, unfortunately. His biggest moment-non-moment came in last year's playoff loss at Cincinnati when he failed to collect a Hail Mary throw in the end zone on the game's final play. It was almost unimaginable that he didn't catch the ball. As it turned out, that was his final play and memory as a Raven.

There could be more movement in the next day or two as GM Eric DeCosta combs through the waiver wire to see if anyone's discarded property is eye-opening enough to invite to Baltimore. Of particular interest might be defensive secondary or pass rush help.

The Ravens still have a few weeks to get things straightened out. They open with Houston at home, which will be a laugher. Week two in Cincinnati is when it all starts for real.

There weren't any real surprises yesterday when Zach Johnson announced his captain's picks for the U.S. Ryder Cup team.

There were a few guys who probably thought they were getting picked that didn't -- Cameron Young, Lucas Glover and Keegan Bradley -- but the six picks that were announced weren't at all surprising.

The golf world was rumbling on Tuesday night with discussion about Johnson's selections. "Old boys club" was the term thrown around the most, but it's still fair to point out that all 6 of Johnson's picks fell between 7 and 15 in the Ryder Cup points list.

Johnson did not, as an example, take Justin Thomas despite finishing 44th in the standings (J.T. finished 15th). He didn't add Sam Burns even though Burns finished 32nd (Burns finished 12th).

In the end, as I said last night on a podcast, it really didn't matter who Johnson selected. People were going to bellyache.

His only recourse now is to win the Ryder Cup in Italy next month. If he does, no one will say a word about the six guys he added. If the U.S. loses, it will be his fault for adding those particular six players.

Fair? Not really.

But original thoughts aren't readily available when it comes to things like this.

Johnson mentioned two players in particular that were added mainly because of the golf course and the expected set-up and layout: Sam Burns and Collin Morikawa. I suspect Johnson and his staff went to great lengths to evaluate every potential pick's golf game, ball flight, shot shape, etc. That's how you make a choice using reason and analysis.

You wouldn't take Beau Hossler to a course that calls for a cut off of every tee. He hasn't hit a left-to-right tee shot in...well...forever. That's just an example, of course. Hossler wasn't a consideration for the team.

So if Johnson and his staff added Burns and Morikawa mainly based on the course layout, I get it. They're trying to take the best 12 players over there that fit the course and the event. People whining because Burns made it and Cameron Young didn't might not be thinking it through clearly.

Justin Thomas is a proven Ryder Cup player. He is a distinguished, high level professional golfer. That he is coming off of a lousy season is really neither here nor there when it comes to his selection yesterday.

The Ryder Cup is a 3-day competition and the goal is to win. Thomas gives the U.S. a better chance to win than, say, Denny McCarthy or Tony Finau.

Zach Johnson is also very close with Matt Kuchar. You didn't see him get added to the team. Thomas is a great fit for the course and the event this time around. Kuchar, in other years a captain's pick, wasn't a fit this year.

To claim Johnson picked his six players based mainly on "friendships" or "sponsor connections" is laughable. He has no interest in putting in two years of work just to go over there in six weeks and get his rear end kicked.

The whole selection process is, though, always worth looking into in an effort to determine what method is best for compiling the team.

There was a time, way back when, that the top 9 players made it and there were 3 captain's picks. We got tired of losing, so we changed to 8 and 4. We lost even more, so now we're at 6 and 6.

Of the six players who made it on points, two of them mostly made it on the heels of one victory. Wyndham Clark sealed his spot when he won the U.S. Open and Brian Harman earned his by winning the British Open. Without those two wins happening, neither of them would have made the 2023 team.

Major championships are important. No two ways about it. But should winning one of those (basically) guarantee a guy a spot on the Ryder Cup team?

The way I see it, if you're one of those people that believes "the system" is flawed (and for the record, I'm not sure I believe that, although I think some tweaking in the points-accumulation format might be called for) and the wrong 12 guys made the team, here are the only two "fool-proof" ways I see of fixing it.

Just take the top 12 point getters in the standings. No more captain's picks. Make the top 12, you're in. No more complaining and whining then. Top 12 makes it. Everyone else watches.

Just allow the captain to pick the team. All 12 guys. He will have plenty of data, of course. FedEx Cup standings, records in major championships, play in the "signature" events on TOUR, and so on.

Personally, if you made me choose one of those two options, I'd go with "let the captain pick the entire team". It is, after all, his team, supposedly. Let him decide who goes and who stays home.

But for now, 6 automatic qualifers and 6 captain's picks is fine by me.

I think Keegan Bradley got ripped off yesterday. That's my hot take.

But who are you sitting out in place of him?

Thomas? Burns? Fowler? Morikawa? Koepka? Spieth?

I see the logic in taking all 6 of those guys. But Bradley certainly needed to be on the team in my mind. To me, Koepka, Spieth and Thomas were the three "no brainers". If Burns, Fowler or Morikawa had to be left off in order to accommodate the addition of Bradley, so be it.

Draw straws or something and leave one of those three off in exchange for Bradley. Burns hasn't done much since March, Fowler didn't do much in the FedEx Cup playoffs and Morikawa hasn't done much in two years. One of those three sits home and Bradley goes to Italy.

Alas, it didn't happen that way.

But as long as the team goes to Italy and wins next month, no one will care that Keegan Bradley got by-passed.

No one will care about anything, actually. If the U.S. wins, Johnson is a hero. If they lose, he's the goat.

I suspect other captains of previous teams told him that along the way.

question of the day

Alex Cobb of the Giants had a no-hitter broken up last night with 2 outs in the 9th inning.

It got me to thinking: What would you like to see, in person, in your lifetime, baseball wise?

I've never seen a perfect game or a no-hitter in person. I've never seen a 4-home run game. And I've never personally witnessed, in person, a triple play.

I did see Toni Linhart's field goal in the 10-7 Colts win forever known as "The Fog Game". So I have that going for me...which is nice.

But baseball wise, there are a lot of things I haven't seen happen at the ballpark.

So......of these six things below, which would you most want to see live and in person?

* A modern-day MLB record of 5 home runs by a player in the same game (either team)

* A perfect game (by either an O's pitcher or the opposing pitcher)

* An Orioles player hit for the cycle

* A triple play (by either team)

* A home run hit the Warehouse wall on the fly (either team)

* The Orioles come back from a 10-0 deficit in the bottom of the 9th to win 11-10.

Me? Out of those, I think I'm going with the 5 home runs in one game. That's baseball history right there. Big time history.

Cycles, perfect games, triple plays...all are great, but they pale in comparison, historically, to 5 home runs in one game.

And you?

Tuesday August 29, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3290

"i've seen this before"

It felt like old times last night at Camden Yards.

Monday night in late August and no one in the ballpark.

One of the teams was lousy. Going through the motions, pretty much.

Most of the folks in the stadium only sorta-kinda connected to the action on the field in front of them. Cell phones out constantly, chatting with friends in the seats next to them, oblivious to the game they came to watch.

Except there was one major difference between last night and, say, 2019 in Baltimore: The teams.

It was the visiting Chicago White Sox who were the uninterested, disheveled group and the the Orioles were the team playing solid fundamental baseball and romping to a 9-0 win that was never in question throughout the night.

The times they have changed.

"Nice effort there, Tim," I said to friends as we watched White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson jog down the first base line on a sharply hit grounder. And "jog" might even be stretching it a bit, if I'm being honest. "Stroll" might be the better term.

When the White Sox botched a relay throw later on in the game I laughed.

"I've seen this before," I remarked. "This is exactly the way the Orioles looked four or five years ago. It's like a Keystone Cops episode in every inning."

I went out last night to see my friend Gavin Sheets play for the White Sox. He did get the start at first base, which was good, but only made two plate appearances before being pinch hit for in the 7th inning. He was removed from the game when D.L. Hall came in to pitch in place of Jacob Webb.

"I don't get it," I said as Sheets walked back to the dugout while Hall started his warm-up on the mound. "You're losing 4-0, you have 50 wins (52, actually) and here you have a guy scuffling against left handed pitchers who is also playing in front of 30 or 40 of his friends and family members. How is he ever going to get better hitting lefties if you don't let him do it occasionally?"

No wonder the White Sox are a non-factor in the A.L. Central. Their manager is a goof.

The Orioles patched together a 5-run eighth inning, thanks to more shoddy defensive work from the White Sox and a towering 3-run homer from Anthony Santander, who waited and watched for a few seconds before casually flipping his bat and starting his home run trot.

I looked in the direction of the Chicago dugout as Santander rounded third base and one guy was standing up on the steps waving and pointing at the O's designated hitter. I assume he was barking about Santander's extended stay at the plate while his moonshot bounced onto Eutaw Street.

"I wonder if he'll get plunked tomorrow?" I asked a friend.

"Under normal circumstances, maybe, but I don't think the White Sox care enough to get angry at this point in the season."

Good point.

They have a lot of talent, by the way. On paper, the White Sox should be way better than they've been over the last two seasons. But there's clearly something missing with that bunch.

Anderson, to me, at least, seems to be the engine driving the whole thing. It started with his very first at-bat in the top half of the first inning. He didn't even make it halfway down the first base line before he was thrown out on a groundball.

Later in the game, the O's Ryan Mountcastle hit almost the exact same grounder and was thrown out by a half-step, maybe.

"Now that's how you run out a grounder," I said to my son next to me.

It was good to see the Orioles engaged and the other team being the one mailing it in.

For several years on a Monday night in late August, the 12,000 people in the ballpark would have been seeing the exact opposite style of play in front of them.

Had they bothered to look up from their cell phones long enough, they would have seen the Orioles not running out grounders, botching relay throws and failing to look like a professional team at times.

But now? The times have changed indeed.

And even though only 12,000 managed to come out to watch it last night, you saw two franchises headed in distinctly opposite directions.

Ain't the beer cold?

If the reports are correct about Zach Johnson's U.S. Ryder Cup captain's picks, they will come with plenty of controversy.

In fairness to the captain, though, there was always going to be some degree of controversy no matter which six guys he added. Or didn't add, as it might be.

Reports in the golf world circulated fast and furious yesterday afternoon. Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler both received "the call" from Johnson on Monday. They're headed to Rome to be part of the U.S. team looking to win on foreign soil for the first time since 1993.

If that's accurate, let the controversy begin.

Thomas didn't even make the FedEx Cup playoffs. Sure, he finished 15th in the standings and is, despite his shoddy summer of 2023 play, still one of the top 15 (ish) players in the world. But his play in '23 certainly didn't resemble someone worthy of a Ryder Cup selection.

Fowler won once. Two guys who reportedly aren't getting added -- Lucas Glover and Keegan Bradley -- both won twice. Fowler certainly had a far better campaign than did Thomas. And his season as a whole was very solid. But if he made the team over Glover and Bradley, it's worth a discussion at least.

Later on yesterday, word started circulating that the other four picks were also in: Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa and Sam Burns.

The first three weren't that surprising.

You can file Burns under the same category as Fowler, basically. One win, a decent season, but nothing more. If you dumped Fowler and Burns for Glover and Bradley, I'd think that swap would be acceptable and understandable.

Pairings, I'm sure, came into play if, in fact, those wind up being the six players added to the team today at 10:00 am when Johnson confirms his selections in a press conference.

Thomas and Spieth go hand-in-hand. They've been a formidable duo in the past. If J.T. gets his game together, there's no reason to think they can't do damage in Rome late next month.

Fowler and Scheffler are rumored to be a possible match-up, which is probably far more about connecting Scheffler with a good putter than it is giving Fowler a chance to shine.

And Burns seems likely to go out with Max Homa, a pair of unassuming guys who run hot and cold but can stack up some birdies when they're rolling it well on the greens.

Personally, I don't see how you leave Bradley off the team.

Glover, I might be able to accept given that he wasn't even a consideration for the team until August when he started playing like Tiger Woods 2.0.

Bradley has played very well over the last two years and, in particular, throughout 2023. He won twice and his ball striking data is as solid as anyone's on the TOUR not named Scheffler, Rahm or McIlroy.

Koepka, Spieth, Morikawa. All good there.

But the other three, if true, will create plenty of golf talk fodder for the next few days. You'll hear words like "deserve" thrown around a lot, both good and bad.

"Burns and Thomas haven't done anything all summer. They don't deserve to be on the team."

"Glover and Bradley both won twice. They deserve to be on the team."

"Cameron Young finished 9th on the Ryder Cup points list and got bypassed for the guy at #12 (Burns) and two players outside of the top 12 (Fowler and Thomas). He deserves better than that."

Young, Burns and Thomas didn't win one tournament between them over the last five months. That, alone, seems almost impossible given the talent level of those three. But golf's a fickle game. You're good today, not so good tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Glover won twice in two weeks in August and is the "hot hand" if ever there was one. And he apparently isn't going to Italy.Of course, there's always a chance the leaks that surfaced yesterday were wrong. We'll find that out later today.

But if what we heard on Monday turns out to be correct, Zach Johnson and his slew of assistant captains have made some very interesting picks indeed.

question of the day

The Orioles have announced that Adam Jones is "going to retire as an Oriole" on September 15, whatever that means.

I don't know enough about the wranglings of the 40-man roster, contracts, etc. to know if that means Jones is somehow going to sign a one-day contract and then retire or if it's merely just a marketing gesture to say "he's retiring as an Oriole." Either way, I'm good with it.

In full disclosure, Jones is my favorite Oriole ever. Growing up and following the team like I did in the 1970's and 1980's, I never really had an out-and-out "favorite" player. I loved Eddie. I was a huge Mike Boddicker fan. But for the most part, I didn't really have a poster-on-the-wall favorite Oriole.

That all changed when Adam Jones came to town.

I've often said it was Jones just as much as it was Buck Showalter who eventually changed the culture in Baltimore and helped spearhead the six year "return to glory" where the team made the playoffs three times (2012, 2014 and 2016).

He will, I'm sure, be a member of the Orioles Hall of Fame someday, will Jones.

The question of the day is simple. Who comprises the "Mount Rushmore" of Oriole players from 1990 on?

We know the "real" Mount Rushmore of the O's contains Eddie, Cal, Brooks and Palmer. Or Frank Robinson, perhaps.

But those are the old guys. What about the modern day, post 1990 Mount Rushmore of O's players?

Who are your four who make it?

Jones and Mussina are slam dunks, I'd say.

You can probably put Cal in there post-1990 as well. I mean, he did have a streak or something that I think I heard about once.

I guess Manny has to be included. I'm guessing he'd jog out to the pitcher's mound for the ceremony.

Palmeiro would normally be included, but probably not so much now that we know he was getting "help" back in the 90's.

We didn't really have any good players in Baltimore in the 2000's, so that's sort of a dead decade, if you will.

Does Zach (Zack?) Britton get a spot? J.J. Hardy? Roberto Alomar, maybe?

Who are your four?

Monday August 28, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3289

"we'll be fine without bautista"

Two games in and the impact of Felix Bautista's absence has already been felt.

Sure, you can blame the game-winning run from yesterday's 4-3 loss to Colorado on Gunnar Henderson's throwing error if you want, but Yennier Cano was the guy throwing the pitches.

If he strikes out the side, he gets all the credit, of course.

So with that distinction in mind, the O's have already suffered at least one loss with Bautista sidelined due to an elbow injury. Sadly, more of those are looming, I'm afraid to say.

It's going to be a dogfight now.

Cano isn't chopped liver. Neither is D.L. Hall. Tyler Wells might even get an audition in the closer's role at some point soon.

But none of those three can replicate Felix Bautista.

And without The Mountain in there to clean things up in the 9th inning, the margin for error decreases dramatically in September and October.

There's also a chance Bautista wouldn't have pitched on Sunday anyway. Had Friday night not happened, he would have likely pitched in the 9th inning of Saturday's 5-4 win, meaning Sunday would have been an "unavailable" day for Felix.

But that's conjecture. We don't know what might have happened if Bautista wouldn't have been injured on Friday. What we do know, though, is he was unavailable on Sunday and Cano couldn't get three outs in the 9th inning without allowing a run.

Of course, we can also spend a few minutes talking about Brandon Hyde falling asleep with one out in the top of the 9th yesterday and allowing Elias Diaz to swing the bat with a runner on third and first base open.

I wasn't at the ballpark, but my guess is virtually everyone there who was awake said the same thing I was saying: "Walk this dude and set up a double play ball to get out of the inning!"

Instead, Hyde continued to nap in the dugout and Diaz knocked in the eventual game-winning run with a high chopper that couldn't be fielded in time to create a play at the plate.

When the manager whiffs and the new closer can't get the job done, that spells trouble. Even when it's the Rockies. They have guys on scholarship, too.

Let's hope we can watch a bunch of games in September where the Birds lead 6-3 heading into the 9th inning. They'll be able to patch something together in that case and escape with a win 9 times out of 10.

Those close games, though? I'm definitely worried.

As we saw on Sunday, it's just not the same without Bautista.

There is, however, some immediate good news. They're called the Chicago White Sox. And they're in town for three games starting tonight at Camden Yards.

Chicago is, almost without question, one of the two or three most disappointing teams in all of baseball this season. It's a chaotic circus there, with the recent firings of the GM and Vice President showcasing what a mess things have become on the South Side.

My friend Gavin Sheets is in town with the White Sox, and for those who recall, he terrorized the O's last August. Sheets loves to hit in Baltimore, but his playing time has been greatly diminished this season and the promise of three righty starters for the O's doesn't necessarily mean he'll get a start or two in front of family and friends over the next three days.

The O's have won 2 of 3 against both Toronto and Colorado thus far in the 9-game homestand. A sweep of the White Sox would send the team out of town on a nice note.

With or without Bautista, losing a game to Chicago this week would not be cool.

Viktor Hovland closed out the 2022-2023 PGA Tour season in convincing fashion yesterday, winning the final two tournaments, including the TOUR Championship, to capture his first-ever FedEx Cup title.

Hovland won $18 million and also inserted himself into the "Player of the Year" discussion as well. He finished the campaign with three wins. Jon Rahm won four times, but none of them came after April. Scottie Scheffler won twice and had an incredible season. But Hovland won when it mattered most.

Recency bias matters in these sort of things. Rahm's last win came just after the baseball season kicked off. Scheffler's last victory was in March. Hovland had the hot hand in August. If I'm voting? It's Hovland.

In addition to the excitement of yesterday's final round from East Lake GC, the Ryder Cup moved to center stage once the final shot was hit and the season was officially complete.

And now the attention turns to Zach Johnson and his announcement on Tuesday of who he's going to add to the team with his six captain's picks.

Did the FedEx Cup playoffs impact his decisions at all?

What about the final event, the TOUR Championship? Did the play of Keegan Bradley and Collin Morikawa cement their spots on the team?

Did Rickie Fowler or Sam Burns play their way in or out in Atlanta or were there spots already secured or gone by the time the TOUR Championship rolled around?

Is there any way Justin Thomas makes the team despite not even making the FedEx Cup playoffs?

Did Lucas Glover go from "not even on the radar" to a captain's pick in the span of about four weeks or so in August?

Those are all questions we'll learn the answers to on Tuesday when Zach Johnson makes his picks known for the first time.

And here's who I think he's going to add: Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, Collin Morikawa, Cameron Young, Keegan Bradley and Rickie Fowler.

Those six will join the six automatic qualifiers: Scheffler, Clark, Harman, Homa, Cantlay and Schauffele.

That's the 12-man team I think Johnson is going to take with him to Rome late in September. Tomorrow will show if I'm right or wrong, but that's my best guess.

Would I be surprised if Justin Thomas is added and Fowler is left off the team? Not at all.

Would I be surprised if Burns gets picked instead of Fowler and Thomas? I would not.

Would I be surprised if Bradley gets left off and J.T. is picked instead? Nope.

But those are the six picks I think Johnson's making on Tuesday.

They are not the six I would pick, by the way.

I'd add Koepka, Spieth, Morikawa, Bradley, Glover and, going against virtually every piece of statistical evidence that's present, Justin Thomas.

The first four names above are pretty much no-brainers, although I have to say I'm not 100% sure I'd rather have Jordan Spieth than either Burns or Fowler in Rome. Spieth's last four months have been decent, but not much more than that. Fowler has most certainly outplayed him throughout the summer.

But Koepka, Spieth, Morikawa and Bradley are, to me, locks to add to the team. They've earned it.

Not that it matters, but if you pressed me to present an order to those four, in terms of adding them, I'd take Bradley first, then Koepka, followed by Morikawa and Spieth.

The last two picks are the ones that make being a captain a difficult task.

You can make any argument for Burns, Fowler, Glover and J.T. and I think they all work. None of those four would be "bad" additions to the team.

I heard a No Laying Up talking head make a compelling argument for Denny McCarthy late last week and I found myself nodding in agreement.

Another guy made a case for adding Russell Henley based on his last six weeks and I didn't necessarily disagree with the guest's logic. Henley has been terrific of late.

But to me, there's two spots left and really only four players to legitimately consider; Burns, Fowler, Thomas and Glover. Two stay, two have to go.

It's undeniable that the hottest player of the four, right now, is Lucas Glover. He won twice in August, including in Memphis in the playoff opener, and produced a T18 in Atlanta.

If he has, in fact, "fixed" his putting like the stats and results apparently say he has, Glover's addition is a no brainer. He'd be a great fit with guys like Harman, Clark, Homa and maybe even Scheffler.

I don't care that Glover wasn't in the top 12 of the standings. The guys who finished 7 through 12 aren't guaranteed anything. They had their chance to make the team outright by finishing in the top 6 and they failed.

Glover might not have been a hopeful candidate in May or June, but he's been one of the best players on TOUR over the last five weeks. And that counts for something in my book.

J.T. is admittely the more controversial addition. But to me, a team with unseasoned Cup guys like Clark, Homa and Harman needs some veteran leadership on the squad. And Thomas has been an important part of past Ryder Cup events for the U.S. team and is a perfect partner-fit for Spieth and others.

His "recent form" isn't there. His summer was lousy. He didn't make the playoffs. Those are all facts.

But as I say all the time, we're not looking for the 12 "best" players. We're looking for the 12 "right" players. Thomas, to me, serves to help the squad more than either Burns or Fowler.

It really does come down to this question: Would I rather have Justin Thomas on the tee Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Rome or Rickie Fowler? Justin Thomas or Sam Burns? It's that simple.

If Burns' "recent form" was solid, it would be easier to pick him over Thomas. The same goes for Fowler. They didn't "limp" through the playoffs, but neither of them were a factor in any of the three events, either.

It's also important to remember J.T. finished 15th in Ryder Cup points (or maybe 16th...the standings I saw last night weren't updated, I don't think). It's not like he finished 33rd in points and you're taking a complete flyer on him.

So that's my team.

Fowler and Burns get the "bad news" call.

Thomas and Glover get the "good news" call.

I'm not sure the U.S. team is all that strong with or without Thomas and Glover. I most certainly wouldn't bet on the U.S. in Rome.

But I'll take my chances with Glover and Thomas.

Let's see what Zach Johnson says about it tomorrow.

His opinion, after all, is far more important than my opinion.

question of the day

I read something on the internet recently (where else would I read it, right?) about celebrities asking other celebrities for their autograph.

Madonna asked Adele for her signature.

Justin Timberlake asked Ed Sheeran for his autograph.

There's also the famous John Steinbeck letter to Marilyn Monroe asking for her autograph for his nephew.

I fully realizes autographs are sorta-kinda a thing of the past these days. Now, if you see a celebrity in your presence, you ask for a "selfie" as proof that you actually encountered them.

The question is: If you've ever collected an autograph (or two), which is your most cherished keepsake?

And do you still have it?

I was never much of an autograph collector myself so my answers here are limited.

I got David Byrne's signature once when we were both seated at the same bar in New York City. The former Talking Heads lead man was awesome to speak with and I sheepishly turned over a paper menu and asked if he'd sign it and he said, "Of course. What else would I do with this pen in front of me?"

I once met up with all four members of the rock group "Asia" at a hotel in Columbia, MD and they all signed an album cover for me. I donated it to the Save and Heart golf tournament ten years later and I think they got $250 for it at a silent auction. It's probably worth $2,500 now. Oh well...

But my best autograph, ever, is still in my possession today. It's a baseball. The signature? Brooks Robinson. I got it when I was about 12 years old. Mid 1970's. He was making an appearance at an auto dealer in Glen Burnie where my Dad worked and I got, let's say, a little bit of preferential treatment.

And you?

Sunday August 27, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3288

the mountain just got bigger

As soon as I saw the news on Twitter that Mike Elias was scheduled to meet with the media prior to yesterday's home game with Colorado, I knew what that meant.

Trouble.

Bad news for Felix Bautista.

And, for sure, a kick in the family jewels to the Orioles, who had pieced together one of the best bullpens in all of baseball in 2023.

It turns out I was right.

Elias delivered the news Baltimore baseball fans hoped they wouldn't hear.

Bautista suffered a UCL (elbow) injury during Friday's win over the Rockies. While it's still not known if he'll pitch again in 2023, the general consensus among medical experts on Saturday was that "rarely" does someone return from a UCL injury within a 15-30 day period.

Everyone is now fearing the worst.

It usually goes like this: Injury, surgery and rehab, which would shut Bautista down for the remainder of '23 and most likely all of '24.

And if that is the case, and Bautista is done for the year, I'm pretty sure that means we won't be seeing a championship in Charm City this time around.

Yeah, I'm "that guy". Sorry.

I don't think the Orioles can work their way through the ALDS, ALCS and World Series without Bautista as their closer.

Let's be honest. If not for Bautista's heroic 2023 campaign, this is a team with 70-some wins right now instead of 81. He is the reason why the O's are on top in the A.L. East with a month left in the regular season.

And without him, those close, one-run nailbiters and extra inning games are going to be tougher to navigate in October.

I hate to be pessimistic, but I'm just calling it like it is: The O's can't win the World Series without a healthy Felix Bautista.

Can they win the ALDS and ALCS without him? I'm not even sure that's possible, frankly. All it takes is one or two blown opportunities in a 5 or 7 game series and that's the difference between winning and losing.

I hope beyond hope that I'm wrong. I could be a homer and just throw out the blanket statement of support: "It's time for next man up. Of course we can win the whole thing without Bautista. He's just a relief pitcher."

But I don't see it that way.

He's not "just a relief pitcher". He's the guy that turns every game into 8-innings of baseball. If the O's lead after 8, the deal is done.

Now, it becomes a 9 inning game without Bautista available to close. And those 3 additional outs will loom very important in October.

I hope I'm wrong.

40 years later, we deserve a break here in Charm City.

But I think I'm going to be right.

The O's lost the one dude they couldn't afford to lose on Friday night.

One round of solid golf for $18 million is what's sitting in front of Viktor Hovland today as the former Oklahoma State star looks to win his first-ever FedEx Cup title at East Lake GC in Atlanta.

Hovland, a Norway native, owns a six-shot lead heading into today's final round of the TOUR Championship.

Stranger things have happened, but the charismatic 25-year old from Oslo just needs to play smart, simple golf and let those behind him do the pressing. Xander Schauffele (-14), Collin Morikawa and Keegan Bradley (both at -13) appear to be the only players capable of catching Hovland.

Editor's note: Speaking of "Stranger Things", for the first time ever, I got to watch a number of episodes of that TV show while I was away on a golf trip last week. It might be the worst show I've ever seen in my life. Seriously. The worst.

A win today for Hovland would cap off a terrific 2023, punctuated by two wins in the playoffs and three overall in 2023, and give him a puncher's chance of claiming PGA Tour Player of the Year honors. Jon Rahm (4 early wins including the Masters) and Scottie Scheffler (2 wins, Top 10 in 3 of 4 majors) also appear on the "favorites" ballot, if you will.

Of course, the bigger piece of drama looming large at East Lake today is the play of a few American players still looking to get in one more solid round before Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson makes his picks on Tuesday morning.

Morikawa and Bradley both seemingly have now done enough to secure two of those six selections. Bradley has two wins this season and his ball striking numbers are off-the-charts-good. Morikawa hasn't won a TOUR event in over two years but his 61-64 start at East Lake was probably the final piece of the puzzle for him.

Jordan Spieth and Brooks Koepka are both virtual locks to be added by Johnson. If their names aren't called on Tuesday it would be a major shock.

That leaves five players for two picks, if I'm reading the tea leaves correctly: Lucas Glover, Rickie Fowler, Sam Burns, Cameron Young and Justin Thomas.

Conventional wisdom suggests that not much separates those five. What they might lack in 2023 success (Thomas didn't even make the playoffs despite finishing 15th in the Ryder Cup standings) is offset by other qualities.

Young, who didn't make the field in Atlanta, is still looking for his first-ever win, for example, but he's a sublime ball striker who would likely be a nice fit for just about anyone in the two alternate shot events in Rome.

Thomas has played well below his standards all summer -- hence, the reason he didn't make the playoffs -- but he's a 2-time major champion and one of the more fierce competitors on TOUR. He's also a natural fit for the likes of Spieth, Scheffler and perhaps even Morikawa in the better ball and alternate shot formats.

Glover (-7), Burns (-7) and Fowler (-4) are still competing in the TOUR Championship.

It's hard to say who is the front runner of those three. Recency bias would give it to Glover, of course, as he won the last regular season event in Greensboro and then came right back and won the first playoff stop in Memphis the very next week. But those wins overshadowed a mostly benign overall campaign for the 2009 U.S. Open champ.

It's fair to say Glover wasn't even on Johnson's radar prior to Greensboro earlier this month. Perhaps the captain is going to look at it that way on Tuesday morning when he announces his picks: "I didn't let two weeks of great golf influence my decisions."

If you're a believer in "pick the best golfers" for the team, Glover would likely not get the nod. You can probably think of at least a half dozen Americans (including some on LIV) you'd take over Glover if you're just ranking them based on quality of overall play.

But if you're one of those folks who thinks "go with the hot hand and ride it out", Glover most certainly gets picked.

I call it "recent form". And Glover's recent form is outstanding. And the Ryder Cup is a month away. Can he hang on for a month and take his "A" game to Italy? If you think he can, he gets picked.

That's what Zach Johnson is dealing with as he mulls over his options.

Burns and Fowler are interesting candidates in that they're opposites when it comes to Ryder Cup experience.

Fowler has played in four of them. Burns hasn't played in one yet.

Some would say that matters. It's a nauseating experience for a first timer, for sure. On the surface, would you rather have a guy who has played in the Cup four times or the guy who hasn't ever played in it? I think the answer to that question is obvious.

But every player who has ever made a team made it for the first time at some point. And Burns, despite his pedestrian play over the last four months, is someone who brings a varied skillset to the team room. He might wind up being the 12th guy to make the team, but he strikes me as someone who could go 2-0-1 in the matches and be one of the team's more surprising performers.

Personally, I don't put much stock in Ryder Cup experience.

I think it's good to have, don't get me wrong.

But my number one consideration when it comes to adding a player is "recent form".

That's why it's hard to add guys like Thomas and Young, in my mind.

And that's why it's easy to add Glover.

Fowler and Burns both have one win this season. Burns won in March, Fowler won in July. Fowler's overall season is superior, for sure. He made more cuts, more money, and, if this sort of thing matters, shot 62 in the U.S. Open at L.A. Country Club and played well there for four days.

Today, they'll tee it up in Atlanta hoping to give Zach Johnson one final piece of evidence to consider for his American team.

question of the day

Since I've established "Stranger Things" might be the worst TV show ever made, let's focus on the positive and pick the best TV show of the last 50 years.

This one's going to be tough mainly because it's almost impossible to pick six finalists. You won't see "Hill Street Blues" on the list and you'll think, "They didn't even put the best show on the list of options."

Or you won't see "Family Ties" on the list and you'll throw up your hands and say, "The list is terrible."

So, picking the six finalists is really, really hard.

Note: For purposes of this particular exercise, we're going only with network shows. So, for example, The Sopranos and Game of Thrones don't get considered since they were both originally cable shows only.

And...here we go:

* Cheers

* M*A*S*H

* The Office

* Seinfeld

* All In The Family

* Friends

I didn't list "The Simpsons" because I didn't feel like getting into the debate about "TV Show" vs. "Cartoon". Otherwise, The Flintstones would have made the top six for sure.

OK, head to the Comments section and have at it.

Me?

I'd write in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" but that's just me.

Saturday August 26, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3287

and a hush falls over the crowd

Gobble up those bottom feeder teams, I say.

That way, when something happens to a key player or two, you might have built up a big enough cushion to withstand their loss.

I'm feeling that way about these Orioles, who patched together a 5-4 win over visiting Colorado last night before 28K at OPACY.

The win was overshadowed by a scary situation involving closer Felix Bautista, who was one strike away from beating the hapless Rockies before being forced to leave the game with what Brandon Hyde described as "arm discomfort".

On most winning nights, the final out is met with delirious applause and fandom. Last night, not so much. A hush fell over the crowd as Bautista left the field. And even when Danny Coulombe came in, threw a pitch, and ended the game with a strikeout, it still felt kind of weird to get excited about the 5-4 victory.

The team's best pitcher might be out for a while. How can you get excited, right?

We'll obviously know more today about Bautista's situation, but if he's not able to return in 2023, the O's "mountain" just got much more difficult to climb, no pun intended.

That's not to say they can't win without him. They can. But his loss would mean a shuffling of the bullpen and, let's face it, no matter who replaces him as the team's closer, the O's simply aren't as reliable in late inning situations when Bautista isn't available to pitch.

But we'll worry about that bridge when we get to it.

For all we know this morning, Bautista just needs a day or two off. Maybe a week. Who knows?

But for what we don't know, here's what we do know: The O's hit the 80-win mark last night and there are still five weeks left in the season.

Times sure have changed in Baltimore, haven't they?

Unless something really strange happens over the last 34 games, the O's are going to win 100 baseball games in 2023.

Sprinkle that on your pizza this afternoon and let it sit for a minute or two: The Orioles, the Baltimore Orioles, are going to win 100 games in 2023. And win their division. And, just maybe, make their first World Series appearance since 1983.

It's almost too much to even consider and imagine, but it's very real.

Sure, the Bautista update today is important and all. He's a critical piece of the team's bullpen, obviously. But even without him, there's more than enough quality to go around and help the O's escape 9th inning jams. Grayson Rodriguez, anyone?

Let's just keep enjoying the good baseball, the big innings and the late game heroics, like we saw last night from Gunnar Henderson, who hit a 2-run dinger in the bottom of the 8th to give the O's a 5-4 lead.

John Angelos might have to build Camden Crossing, Parkville Crossing and Timonium Crossing in order to afford what Henderson is going to command, salary wise, in a few years.

You wanted good players, boss.

Well, now you got 'em.

Better get ready to fork over some dough, Johnny. They don't play for less just because they like the crab cakes in town.

Things are really getting interesting at East Lake as they battle for the $18 million first place check at the TOUR Championship and the attention of U.S. Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson.

Collin Morikawa, who started the event at -1 under in the staggered scoring system, shares the lead with Viktor Hovland at the midway point at 16-under par.

Morikawa is one of those players trying to get the attention of Johnson, who owns six captains picks that he'll announce on Tuesday.

He's having the best event of those on the outside looking in. But the others still have time to make up ground.

Keegan Bradley is having a nice event thus far. He sits at 13-under par. Like Morikawa, he'll need to get that phone call from Johnson in order to play in Rome at the end of next month.

Bradley is looking more and more like a guy you're going to want on that U.S. team. His ball striking numbers are off the charts. His driver accuracy (he's been in the 90's all year on TOUR) is a coin flip, but his iron play has been sublime. And when he hits it close and putts it the way he has thus far at East Lake, he's one of the best 20 players in the world.

Sam Burns (-8) hasn't done much of anything since winning the Match Play in March, but there's been an uptick in his game over the last couple of weeks and a solid showing in Atlanta this weekend could be just what Johnson needs to see. If Burns can cobble together a big round today or tomorrow and finish in the top 5, that would be a huge lift for him and his chances of getting the phone call.

Lucas Glover (-6) is continuing to make a strong case for a captain's pick. While he won't win or top 5 this week, his play over the last month has been outstanding. I'll just keep saying what I've been saying about Glover. If you can't get a captain's pick when you've won two consecutive weeks in August with the playoffs and TOUR Championship on the line, when can you get picked?

Tony Finau (-4), thought by many to be on the outside-of-the-outside, has at least made the TOUR Championship despite having only a "good year". That says something about his steady game, right? But the guess here is Finau can't help himself any longer. There are just not enough spots for Johnson to do something weird and add Finau to the team.

Rickie Fowler (-2) is probably in the most delicate position of all the hopefuls heading into the weekend. A couple of more pedestrian rounds like he shot on Friday (73) could make him player #13 when Johnson finally compiles his list early next week. In other words, Fowler could be the odd guy out when the captain makes his decision on the 12-man roster.

Prior to the playoffs, Fowler appeared to be a virtual lock for the team. All he had to do was keep the vehicle in between the lines and he was good. But he hasn't played very well of late and despite making it to the TOUR Championship and all, his play in both Memphis and Chicago did little to separate himself from the others hoping to get that congratulatory phone call from Johnson on Monday night.

Jordan Spieth (69-71) isn't really helping himself, either, but it doesn't matter at this point. Spieth's on the team no matter what he shoots over the last two days. The guess here is he's the first call Johnson makes on Monday. Jordan's going to Rome.

In my mind, Spieth, Glover and Morikawa are now just about done-deals.

Spieth's 100% getting picked and Glover and Morikawa are probably both 90% at this point.

We're assuming Brooks Koepka's getting added as well.

There's four of the six picks, gone.

Right now, as it stands today, that leaves four guys vying for two available spots. Bradley, Fowler, Cameron Young (not playing in Atlanta) and Justin Thomas, who finished 15th in American Ryder Cup points despite not making the FedEx Cup playoffs.

That's both a good and bad problem to have, I suppose.

You're getting two high quality players out of that foursome. But you're also leaving behind two players you might otherwise want on the team. Thomas, of course, would be getting in more because of stature than recent form, but his ability to pair up with Spieth, Koepka and perhaps even Scheffler might simply be too inviting for Johnson to pass up.

It's probably coming down to what Fowler and Bradley do this weekend and whether their play is a better bet than what Thomas might be able to do in Rome.

As I noted here earlier in the week, Fowler and Bradley are the two most intriguing guys simply because of their recent form and the fact they are still playing in the playoffs and can impact Johnson with their play. Young and J.T. have done all they can do at this point.

I just can't make a call on Thomas at this point. I need to see how everyone else fares at East Lake before deciding on J.T.

But in my book, I'm taking Bradley for sure.

I think he'll not only bring good golf to Rome, he'll bring some passion to the event and will perhaps do what Patrick Reed has done in recent Cups. No, not cheat. "Energize the competition" is where I was headed with that one.

No matter what outsiders without experience might think, the "rivalry" element of the event does matter when you're picking players to compete. Bradley is as American as they get and he'll play wearing his heart on his sleeve over in Italy.

Being "good in the team room" also matters and Bradley is well respected by his peers. If you're not going to add Justin Thomas, why not add something close to Thomas in Keegan Bradley?

That leaves one spot open, in my mind.

It ultimately comes down to Sam Burns and Rickie Fowler.

They both have a win this year, but Fowler's season has been far better overall than Burns'.

Burns has made 18 cuts in 25 events with 5 top 10 finishes.

Fowler has made a remarkable 22 of 24 cuts with 8 top 10 finishes thus far.

The margin of quality between those two is razor thin. Fowler has made more money and accrued more FedEx Cup points than has Burns, if that's of any importance to you.

But Burns brings a little more horsepower to the festivities and he could be a natural partner for Scheffler and Homa. In fairness, Rickie can also pretty much partner with anyone, but Burns seems to just have a little more gas in his tank as we wind down the season.

Let's see what happens this weekend before we start really breaking down those two and figuring out who should get the "good" news from Johnson and who should get the "bad" news.

question of the day

This could wind up being question of the month and question of the season, too.

If, for some weird reason, Felix Bautista is out for an extended period of time, how would you handle the O's closing duties?

Do you go with:

* A committee, just based on the game, score, opposing hitters coming up, etc.

* Shintaro Fujinami

* Yennier Cano

* Mike Baumann

* Other

Use the comments section below and let us know.

Friday August 25, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3286

the friday mailbag

You guys threw some solid questions at me this week, I'll give you that much.

And I'm here to answer them.

A number of you reached out to me or posted something in the comments relative to the story that has surfaced about Blast general manager Gianni Tumminello and the alleged theft that occurred earlier this year.

I hope you'll agree that I'm not the type who dodges a question. Under almost every circumstance, if you ask it, I'll answer it.

But when you say to me, "What do you think about the Gianni Tumminello story?", I don't know how you expect me to reply to that style of question.

What do I think about it?

I don't know. Because I don't know the whole story. I'm not here to say Gianni's being framed or anything like that. And I'm also not here to say Gianni isn't guilty -- because he very well might be.

I wasn't there. So I don't know.

But here's what I do know:

I was once the subject of a story in town -- with others at the radio station -- that got plastered all over the TV and newspaper and the case actually contained ZERO evidence once everything got put out in the open. From the beginning of that story, I knew there wasn't any evidence or wrong doing. But that didn't stop my name from getting sullied as a result of the story going public despite no evidence to support it.

Once the legal team "on the other side" realized there was no evidence and they had no case to pursue, they dropped the whole thing like a ball thrown to James Proche in the end zone.

But that didn't change the fact that the whole story was written and talked about for weeks without the case actually being "legit", if you will.

So, now you know why my answer is "I don't know" when you ask me what I think about the Gianni Tumminello story.

I have no idea.

The courts will ultimately figure out if there's enough evidence in place to go through with the trial. If it's true that he stole money, Blast owner Ed Hale should definitely be repaid. No business owner should ever be the victim of theft or deceptive tactics by their own employees.

But I'm not commenting on it until it goes through the legal system. I wasn't there. And therefore, I have no idea what went on with Gianni and the alleged theft.

I do, however, have opinions on other things. You can see all of that below.

Greg asks -- "Drew, some of the top golfers were critical of the staggered scoring in the Tour Championship tournament this week and I was wondering if you like it and what changes you would make if you were Commissioner for the day."

DF says -- "I totally understand why they do staggered scoring (where the season long points leader starts the tournament at 10-under par and the second place guy starts at 8-under par, etc.) and I'm not at all opposed to it, in general.

I think Scottie Scheffler should have an advantage of some sort going into the last event. He's the points leader for the entire season. He's earned "something" of benefit to start the final tournament.

What I'd personally like to see, though, is something that looks a little similar to the way they run the U.S. Amateur.

Take the 30 players who make the TOUR Championship and have them play 36 holes of stroke play, using the staggered scoring system like they do now.

After that 36 holes of stroke play, the low 16 guys then move into a match play play format to determine the champion. Scheffler is the #1 seed. He plays the #16 seed. And off they go. Win and you keep playing. Lose and you go home.

You can poke holes in any kind of scoring format, but to me, the stroke play/match play example is the one that really provides the most entertainment and the best golf."

Brad P. asks -- "Who is your Game 1 playoff starter for the O's and what's the post-season rotation look like if you're managing the club?"

DF says -- "I don't think there's any doubt. You're giving the ball to Kyle Bradish for Game 1. Kremer gets the Game 2 start. I'm probably going with Gibson in Game 3, but that's mainly because I think I'm leaning in the direction of moving G-Rod into a 7th or 8th inning role.

I don't know that I have enough confidence in Cano to give him the ball in the 8th. And if I do, he's on a very short leash. Rodriguez seems like a logical candidate to come in and get three guys out in either the 7th or 8th inning. Maybe Cano takes the 7th and Grayson takes the 8th?

And some of this depends on what we see from Jack Flaherty down the stretch. So far, it's pretty much been "meh" from him.

Bradish is definitely the Game 1 starter in the ALDS in Baltimore, though. Signed, sealed and delivered."

George Marlowe asks -- "Help settle a friendly backyard bet please. Who are the best 5 soccer players to come out of Baltimore over the last 30 or 40 years? Thanks, Drew. Go Hall!"

DF says -- OK, well, I'm going back 40 years and a little more because that's far more my area of experience. And even though he graduated in 1981, like I did, I'm definitely putting Tim Wittman in there right away.

I thought Rob Elliott was a terrific player. He was a bit of a late bloomer in the indoor game, but he was a very gifted goal scorer.

Same for Chris Reif. He was a great high school and college player. He moved to defender in college after being a forward in high school. And we got him for a few weeks with the Blast, but indoor was just never his thing. But Chris was a very good player.

I'd probably throw John Abe in there. Ben Bender also. Those two are at the opposite ends of the spectrum. Abe, I think, played his college soccer around 1980 or so. Bender just graduated from Calvert Hall five years ago.

There are tons of players I'm leaving out. J.J. Kremer was outstanding. So was Giuliano Celenza. We could also dip into the players the Columbia area produced back in the old days; Rob Ryerson, Desmond Armstrong and Darryl Gee, just to name three.

Thanks for the brief trip down memory lane."

Damon asks -- "I'm curious about the way a team captain for the Ryder Cup selects his picks. What do you think is the go-to formula for making the six extra picks?"

DF says -- "I wrote about this earlier in the week. To me, the single biggest factor I would consider is "recent form". At the PGA Tour level, I'd consider "recent form" to be anything within the last three months.

At its core -- meaning, the amateur side -- golf is a 3-week sport. You play well for 3 weeks. Then your game drops off for 3 weeks. And then you spend another 3 weeks trying to "fix your swing" or figure out why you went from playing well to playing lousy.

Then you find it again and play well for 3 weeks and the cycle continues.

I tell people this all the time: "Golf is a 3-week sport."

TOUR players are different, though. They tend to "find it" over longer stretches of time. It's more like two or three months for them. Look at Jon Rahm earlier this year. He had four wins before April 15. Now, he still has four wins.

Russell Henley is currently on a nice heater, albeit without winning. But I'll take the guy who week-in, week-out produces solid numbers and top 20 finishes and you can have the guy who wins this week, finishes T53 the next week, misses the cut the week after, T44 the next week, missed cut, T20.

I bring up Henley just to showcase someone who is very quietly playing solid golf. Lucas Glover is another one of those examples, although he has won of late. Twice in fact.

To me, recent form is the #1 thing I'd look for when adding players.

Is Justin Thomas a better golfer than, say, Keegan Bradley and/or Rickie Fowler? He most certainly is, in my opinion.

But his recent form pales in comparison to those two. They've "found it". Justin is looking for it.

Those two guys in particular are interesting -- Bradley and Fowler -- because they're both riding the wave of swing changes that have clearly boosted their overall play.

Bradley's ball striking numbers are off the charts good. When he putts well, like he did yesterday at East Lake, he's a threat to post some really low numbers.

Fowler is swinging the club very well after several visits with Butch Harmon. He's in that "stretch", like some others, where he's playing solid golf.

While I think "recent form" is the #1 consideration, here's one thing I couldn't care less about: a player's history in the Ryder Cup.

I don't think it matters one iota what he did a bunch of years ago in Chicago or 4 years ago in France. Different teams, different golf games/swings, different playing partners, different golf courses, different "everything", basically.

The Ryder Cup is a competition that occurs every two years. What a player did in July of 2022 is a blip on the radar screen compared to what he just did last month...in July of 2023.

Under normal circumstances, Lucas Glover and Brian Harman would never be considered as two of the best 12 American golfers.

But they've been two of the best 12 American golfers over the last six weeks, that's for sure.

Give me those two and you can have Sam Burns and Cameron Young and I'll beat you every time. Right now, that is. Based on recent form, Harman and Glover are better team members than Burns and Young."

J.K. asks -- "Three home games against Toronto, a division rival, after being on the road for two weeks, and not one crowd over 21K. How disappointing is the O's attendance this season in your mind?"

DF says -- "Disappointing? I don't see that as the definition at all. There are two types of Oriole home games. One features a give-away item of some kind and falls on either a Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Those games generate very respectable crowds of 30,000 to 35,000.

Then you have the rest of the games. They draw 20,000 people, max. Probably more like 16,000 or so. It is what it is. I don't think it's disappointing. I think it's where they are as an organization.

We all know the games will be sold out in October.

Those games matter. People want to be there to see it unfold in person.

A Thursday night in August against Toronto? There's nothing overly compelling about that, especially when you're not getting a free tee shirt as part of your admission.

And I'm not here to say crowds of 20,000 in a pennant race is good, either. It's not good. But it's also not unexpected. If you asked me two months ago what the Orioles would draw in late August for three weeknight games against Toronto, I would have told you 18,000 per-game."

Jeff asks -- "Who is the one band or artist who broke up or had a tragedy end the band that would have gone on to much greater heights had fate not intervened?"

DF says -- "Wow, that probably gives me 25 artists to consider. The first two that come to mind are Cream (broke up) and The Doors (Morrison died). Then, it's Led Zeppelin. If Bonham doesn't die, there's no telling how much great music those four guys would have produced into the 1980's.

Later on, I think Alice in Chains, Nirvana and Stone Temple Pilots fit that profile. All three lost their lead singers (death) when they were hitting on all cylinders.

But of all the bands that never got to finish what they started, there's no doubt in my mind the one that lost the most was Lynyrd Skynyrd. They would have been one of the iconic bands of my lifetime if not for the plane crash and the death of most of the band members.

I always like to chronicle a band's history by considering what 12 songs would be rostered on their "Greatest Hits" album.

The 12 best Lynyrd Skynyrd songs are amazing.

Had they survived and thrived, they'd have 24 songs on their Greatest Hits album.

I mean, listen to this song and tell me how they're not one of the all-time greats. Ever."

faith in sports

Remi Adeleke has an amazing story. The former Navy SEAL shares his incredible journey through the awesome series, "I Am Second".

Adeleke's childhood led him down the wrong path. The SEAL's got him straightened out, but his relationship with God was ultimately the only thing that could give him peace.

For those of you who, like me, find the SEAL's fascinating, you'll love Adeleke's story. He talks about prayer, reading the Bible and surrounding himself with the right people.

At the height of his SEAL's career, he got out to start the next part of his journey. The 8 minute video below might sound very famililar to a lot of you. There are ups and down, good days and bad days. But along the way, God is there for Adeleke.

Thanks, as always, to our friends at Freestate Electrical for their continued support of #DMD and "Faith in Sports".

Thursday August 24, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3285

nine years later...

It all started on August 24, 2014.

3,285 consecutive issues later, we're still here.

I don't have much to say today in terms of the 9-year anniversary of #DMD's first publishing date.

Honestly, I think the 9 years says enough. 9 years speaks for itself, in other words.

We're thankful for every marketing partner, writer, "developer" and reader we've ever had. Truly thankful.

If not for the marketing partners, I wouldn't be doing this.

If not for the writers, there wouldn't be anything to read.

If not for the folks "behind the scenes" over the years (Tony, George, Mike to name the big three), the website wouldn't function.

And if not for the readers, we'd be doing all of this for an audience of zero. And that wouldn't be very fun. Or marketable.

Everyone's role here is critical. We need you all. And we're thankful for all of you, too.

I'd like to think that over the last nine years, no matter how long you've been visiting #DMD, that we've been able to work our way into your daily routine.

I bumped into someone at the driving range a couple of weeks back and he said to me, "Your site is the first thing I read every morning. Coffee and the Morning Dish."

A compliment's a compliment and they come in all shapes and sizes, but that's about the best thing I can hear or read from someone.

"Your site is the first thing I read every morning."

That's really, really cool.

I hope there are others just like him out there. And even if we're not the first thing you read every day, just the fact that you visit this site at any point in your day is good enough for me.

We try to cover the things you care about here.

We want to be your one-stop-shop for sports news and opinion, but we're not naive. You can find out scores, stats and storylines elsewhere. We're just hoping to cover the local, Baltimore'ish stuff well enough that you'll make us a regular morning stop.

I mentioned earlier this week that someone asked me, "Are you are planning a big 9-year anniversary celebration on Thursday?"

My answer then was, "I'm not sure what I'm doing. Let me get to Thursday first."

And, well, Thursday has arrived and, to me at least, it feels like business as usual around here. It's a special day because we've been doing for 9 years now, but it's pretty much just another day in the life of #DMD.

The Orioles won last night, 7-0. They are looking more and more like a team poised to make a big October run. I hope I'm right.

The Ravens are going ga-ga over wide receiver Zay Flowers. It wouldn't be all that hard to be "the best wide receiver the Ravens ever drafted", but Flowers is starting to garner a lot of favorable attention in Owings Mills.

The final tournament of the PGA Tour season, the Tour Championship, starts today. We haven't covered it much here this week, but I'm guessing Scottie Scheffler wins. Going out a limb, I know.

There's more, too.

John Angelos has been in the news a lot recently. Whether he can go a week without saying something goofy and newsworthy remains to be seen. But on almost every occasion he makes a public proclamation, it turns into a few days of good content and discourse for us. So, John, step up early next week and make some news. Please.

Maryland football starts soon. I don't think anyone in Baltimore cares, really. If you walked into any Royal Farms store in the area and asked five men to name three players on the Terps football team, I'm fairly certain you're going 0-for-5.

But we'll keep an eye on Maryland football just in case Mike Locksley makes something happen down there in College Park.

I'd like to tell you I'm amped up about the start of the Capitals '23-24 campaign, but I'm not amped up in the least. I think the Caps will be hard pressed to make the playoffs again this year. I hope I'm wrong on that one.

Whatever happens, with all the teams and sports, we'll do our best to have an opinion that we can share and mull over together.

I'd love to say, "We're making big changes" or "9 years from now, my son will be the main engine behind #DMD", but I have no idea what's going to happen tomorrow. Or next month. Or this time next year.

I can assure you that if I ever win the Lottery, #DMD will roll on. We might take a few days off to enjoy the lottery win, but we'd eventually be right back here writing about the Orioles, Ravens, Terps etc.

I don't know much, but I know that.

In the meantime, though, we're following golf's greatest theory and taking it one day (shot) at a time. We'll be here tomorrow, just like we were yesterday, and the day before that.

So, if you're reading this right now, thank you.

If you're not reading this right now but you've been part of our past, somehow, you are appreciated as well.

Oh, and be forewarned: If we make it to year #10 next August 24, you can bet we're going to have a celebration for that milestone.

One of the best coaching axioms is this one: We can achieve anything as long as we don't care who gets the credit.

And, man, is that ever so true.

"Getting credit" is often times what gets in the way of performance.

Everyone wants to be able to say, "Look what I did." In sports, because, you know, there is no "I" in team, it's critically important to stress that you're going to win a lot more if you don't care who actually gets the credit for the win.

It's not easy to do, because we're all built with the same urge: To be praised.

"Yeah, he might have scored that goal, but did you see me beat the guy down the sideline with the ball and then slide that pass over to Jason? I know he eventually found Richie at the far post for the goal, but if I don't beat the defender down the wing, that goal never happens. Did you see me do that?"

Richie is getting nearly all of the glory. He scored the goal. The credit goes to him.

Meanwhile, the others who touched the ball in that sequence want a piece of the pie, too. It's only human.

If they could all figure out that releasing that thirst for credit is the only way to achieve real team success. You're free to perform at a higher level when you're not concerned at all whether you're the one who will get the praise and applause in the end.

That's not to suggest that your own individual performance isn't important. It most certainly is. Without your own performance, the team might not thrive, after all. But if you perform at a high level and someone else in the team gets the credit after you've won, how does that change the fact that you've won? It doesn't.

Sports teaches us a lot, doesn't it?

One of the underlying reasons why I started this website and continue to pamper it into year number ten is because I'm constantly encountering things along the way that teach me a valuable lesson. I want to broadcast those lessons to you and everyone else.

If you don't connect with them or are otherwise uninterested, it's all good.

Hopefully something the day after or later that week will resonate with you here. I want everyone's reading experience to be enjoyable, after all.

But if you come here often and discover nuggets in either the content or comments that give you reason to stop and think, that means we're providing the kind of service I want to provide to you.

You can go anywhere you want for sports content and conversation. There are thousands and thousands of oulets for you to explore and bookmark.

I hope we're doing our job to keep you visiting and reading. If you care to comment, please do. If you're just a lurker, that's certainly as well.

And it doesn't matter to me "why" you're here.

I don't need, want or require the credit.

You might have stumbled onto #DMD because you were a fan of one of our favorite writers. That's great.

Maybe you got exposed to #DMD through our outstanding Maryland basketball analyst, Dale Williams. Love it.

Perhaps something the Stats Nerd wrote was intriguing enough for a friend to send you the link to #DMD that day and you're now a regular because of a Stats Nerd piece that pulled at you. If so, I'm thrilled you're here.

You could be one of the area's many soccer fans who know Randy Morgan's work here and that's why you're moved to bookmark #DMD and stop by a few times a week. That's awesome.

They can receive all the credit for your visit here today.

It doesn't matter how you got here. It just matters that we can keep you around for the long haul.

One thing for sure: We're in for the long haul here at #DMD.

We'll see you tomorrow, God willing.

And thank you. Again.

	SUCH a sports fan
MARK SUCHY is a lifelong Baltimore sports fan, youth basketball coach and father of three athletic sons. A former weekend sports radio host in Baltimore, "Such" occasionally offers his memories and insights on sports related topics here at #DMD.

iowa, part 3

In preparation for my trip to Iowa, I purchased the novel Shoeless Joe, by W.P. Kinsella. I have seen the movie countless times, but I prefer books to movies, and after admonishing myself for taking so long to getting around to reading it, I gladly carried it along for the journey.

I’m an avid reader, and when a story engrosses me, I have a difficult time putting it down. So it was that I read the entire novel in about one day. It’s not very long, only around 250 pages, and Kinsella is a very descriptive writer with an easy, flowing style. I finished it during my flight to Denver.

Even the best films based on novels fall short. There just isn’t enough time in two to three hours for the plot and character development that good writers bring to life on paper. And that’s the case between what Kinsella wrote and what is portrayed in Field of Dreams.

This isn’t a criticism of the movie, it’s just my observation. That movie is one of my favorites, no matter how corny (see what I did right there?) and overtly sentimental it can be in places. There are scenes that still give me goosebumps and make me tear up, even after seeing it multiple times.

But there are several characters from the novel that are completely absent from the movie. I’m not sure how the producers and director came to eliminate them, but they’re essential to the plot of Shoeless Joe, yet nowhere to be found in Field of Dreams. Artistic license, I suppose.

I don’t know how the character of Eddie Scissons was cut, but he’s so central to the novel that there’s an entire chapter devoted to his story and its evolution and denouement.

Eddie Scissons is my favorite character in Shoeless Joe. Because I see a lot of myself in Eddie Scissons. I see a lot of my grandfather in Eddie Scissons. I see a lot of everyone who’s had a lifelong love affair and fascination with baseball in Eddie Scissons.

Eddie Scissons is us, and we are Eddie Scissons.

In the chapter The Oldest Living Chicago Cub, we discover Eddie’s full story. His memories of the legendary Tinkers to Evers to Chance Cubs of the early 20th Century. His tales of life in baseball and America during that era. His desire to be buried in a full Chicago Cubs uniform, complete with fresh black spikes.

I’m not going to give the story away here. You should read the novel (really, you should). What I will tell you is that Eddie Scissons is a true believer in the power and magic and mystery and hold that baseball has.

Every lifelong fan of the game can relate to Eddie’s zeal and passion. Every lifelong fan can understand it. Every lifelong fan has been touched deep within their souls in the same way.

The quintessential moment of Shoeless Joe arrives when Eddie Scissons stands in left field, alongside Joe Jackson and all the other ghosts playing, and delivers his powerful soliloquy on the word of baseball.

“Can you imagine? Can you imagine? Can you imagine walking around with the very word of baseball enshrined inside you? Because the word of salvation is baseball. It gets inside you. Inside me. And the words that I speak are spirit, and are baseball.”

A little further along (it’s a long speech):

“As I look at you, I know that there are many who are troubled, anxious, worried, insecure. What is the cure? Is it to be found in doctors and pills and medicine? No. The answer is in the word, and baseball is the word. We must tell everyone we meet the true meaning of the word baseball, and if we do, those we speak to will be changed by the power of that living word.

“Can you say the word?”

Until I read Shoeless Joe, I was never able to pinpoint precisely how and why baseball has always spoken to me on such a spiritual level. I suppose the closest thing I’d ever heard was the soliloquy delivered by the great actor, James Earl Jones, in the movie Field of Dreams. You know the one: “People will come, Ray. People will most definitely come.”

But to read the passion and the intensity and the fervor of Eddie Scissons is to know that I’m not alone in the way that baseball has spoken to me throughout my life. Fictional or not, Kinsella knew of what he wrote when he created that character. I have to believe it’s autobiographical to a large degree.

No other game has made me travel thousands of miles to watch it played in cities and towns all over this great land. No other game has compelled me to travel to a cornfield in Dyersville, Iowa just to see a baseball diamond. No other game has given me the same childlike joy and wonder. No other game has created heroes and villains in quite the same way. No other game makes me remember important historical numbers, right off the top of my head, in quite the same way.

.406 2,131 56 60 61 .356

If you know, then the word of baseball is inside of you too. Just like Eddie Scissons told you it was.

---

In his song Real Situation, the iconic reggae artist Bob Marley sings, “Once a man and twice a child, and everything is just for a while.” That line has always resonated with me. I’ve seen its truth demonstrated a few times in my life, first with Mr. Mac, and now with my mother.

If baseball can be equated to the game of life, then I’m pretty sure that she has entered the 9th inning. Her memory is definitely giving way. Her hearing is most definitely giving way. Whenever I walk anywhere with her, I’m alongside her, hooking my arm in hers, just to be sure. I worry about her falling now, more than ever before.

I spent a few nights in Boulder with my family before escorting her to Iowa. My younger brother is, of course, an Orioles fan too, and so we watched their game together on Wednesday night before my trip the next day.

At one point during the broadcast, the 40th anniversary of one of the most memorable games in Orioles history was brought up. And because it’s baseball, wouldn’t you know that my parents were there that night? Mom’s memories of that game were sharp and clear.

In short, the Orioles were tied with the Toronto Blue Jays in extra innings. In the top of the 10th inning, Baltimore had several players playing out of their usual positions. The manager, Joe Altobelli, had used just about every player on the bench to pinch hit in an effort to tie the game. It had worked.

But now, a utility infielder named Lenn Sakata was catching. Sakata hadn’t played catcher since high school. The Blue Jays couldn’t wait to run if they got on base.

The first hitter reached. He was promptly picked off of first base by the pitcher, Tippy Martinez.

The second hitter reached. He, too, was overly anxious to steal and was picked off by Martinez.

The third hitter reached. Once again, Martinez caught him leaning too far and picked him off.

Then, in the bottom of the 10th, because this is baseball, after all, and nothing can ever be as fantastical and absurd, Sakata hit a game-winning 3-run homer for the Orioles.

Mom and Dad were there that night. I remember listening to the game on the radio at home. I remember how excited and giddy she was when they came in. I could see how deep inside the word had touched them both that night.

It took a little prompting, but when I brought up a few details, Mom lit up. The memory of that magical night came flooding back to her. She recounted her amazement and joy at seeing something so ridiculous and improbable happening. She might not have remembered exact names, but she remembered the moment. She remembered how it made her feel.

I think we should all be so lucky as to live long enough to become a child for the second time. I don’t know what losing memories must feel like, but I hope, if I live that long, I’ll still remember baseball.

---

The plane is cruising along at 30,000 feet or so, heading towards Baltimore from Chicago. I look out the window and see the thin clouds beneath us, and there are reddish and golden reflections of the sunset to the west, behind us.

I look down to the country far below, where I can see lights dotting the landscape as dusk fades to night. I keep my eyes peeled for any sign of a baseball diamond, a place where maybe people have gathered on this Sunday evening in summertime in America.

Maybe they’re watching their sons play a game, or their daughters are playing softball.

Maybe some middle-aged men are playing in their weekly slow-pitch softball league. It’s all variations on the theme of baseball.

I’ve traveled more this summer than anytime I can remember in recent years. The boys and I went to California. We saw lots of amazing sights, hiked through incredible places, and experienced the cities, and we did all of that because of baseball. Baseball was the reason. We wanted to see the ballparks in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego. We got to share an unforgettable journey together, all thanks to baseball.

There was never a moment’s hesitation that I would travel with my mother to the wedding in Iowa. It was an opportunity to see our family, and we are all spread around the country, just like so many families are. But when David’s email came to my inbox and mentioned an afternoon at Field of Dreams, well, that just cemented my decision.

The message was there again. Baseball. Family. Life. Dreams. The message was unmistakable. There are no coincidences.

As the plane descends, I’m filled with comfort in the knowledge that I am coming home. The dog will be happy I’m back, jumping on me, licking my face, pawing at the door to take a walk together in the woods. Everything that is familiar and comfortable awaits my arrival.

Home. Just like baseball. The run doesn’t count if it doesn’t reach home.

The Orioles have won a thrilling game in extra innings in Seattle. I couldn’t see any of the game as I traveled, but as soon as I land, I turn off the airplane mode on my phone to see about 30 texts from my sons.

Cedric Mullins, the Orioles centerfielder (and a ballplayer if ever there was one), has made the catch of the year, taking a home run away from a Mariners hitter in the bottom of the 9th inning, then hitting a 2-run homer in the top of the 10th inning to lead the Birds to a magical win. I watch the videos they’ve sent and I smile and I feel giddy inside.

Baseball, man. It touches my soul.

On my drive home, I think about October. I picture Oriole Park overflowing with fans. You can feel the nervous energy. Every pitch, every at bat matters. The pressure is magnified.

I wonder what will happen. What memories will be made? How far can the team go? What stories will this team create that my sons can tell their children about? Will I be able to reach my own 9th inning, so I can tell my grandchildren about the 2023 Baltimore Orioles, and the 1983 Baltimore Orioles, and about how my own grandfather once caught Allie Reynolds? They should look him up on Baseball Reference.

Because the word is baseball. Have you heard the word of baseball?

A man can dream.

Wednesday August 23, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3284

free the birds...again?

During my earlier-than-usual weekly appearance on Glenn Clark Radio yesterday, the show host and I discussed the New York Times piece from Monday where John Angelos cried poor-boy about the team's finances and the possibility of future struggles in Baltimore.

And we somehow stumbled onto the topic of "Free The Birds".

I said it as a joke, frankly. Just an attempt to lighten the moment as we talked about the nerve John Angelos has to even hint around about the fan base bearing the brunt of player payroll increases given how much profit the team is generating these days.

"Should I start a chant tonight at the game?" Glenn's show producer, Griffin, asked the two of us.

"Yes, you should," I said.

"What's the chant?" Griffin asked.

"How about 'Free The Birds'?" I shot back immediately.

Clark laughed.

I laughed.

It's a bit of an inside joke that young guys in their early 20's like Griffin might not understand.

"I don't think 'Free The Birds' will work," Clark deadpanned.

I got serious for a minute.

"I'm not saying the fans should try to replicate the original 'Free The Birds' concept," I explained. "But no matter what anyone says about the original one, this much is true: It was the right message back then."

And here we are, in 2023, and the town is pretty much still battling -- as a sports community -- with the ownership group of the Orioles.

Free The Birds started out as a public outcry against the baseball team for years of negligent management and front office failure.

It eventually turned into something much more personal down the road. And that part of the campaign, if you will, got ugly between the station owner and the Orioles.

But the origin of Free The Birds was founded in the reality that the fans needed a voice to be heard and they needed to be able to tell the team, publicly, "This isn't good enough."

And these days, even now, with the team in first place, there's still that need.

There are so few ways for fans to do anything meaningful to make their opinions known that it takes creativity -- like you've seen in Oakland this summer -- to come up with something that ownership will say, "We hear you."

You can go to the internet and bad-mouth John Angelos all you want, but I doubt that makes much impact with him. The local newspaper can publish an occasional piece blasting the ballclub for things like needlessly suspending a TV broadcaster and all that gets the paper in return is the team's President going to the New York Times and giving them "first dibs" on his grand plan for Camden Crossing.

These sports franchises operate in a bizarre world, really.

We're so beholden to them, as a community, that we pretty much just allow them to do whatever they want because we're petrified they'll get agitated and talk about moving the team.

And they know that, too.

They try (a little) not to flex their muscles in a public sort of way, but that kind of power is very hard to disguise. This Summer of 2023 is proof-positive of that with John Angelos and the Orioles.

"Tell the viewing audience the Rays have been better than us for a long time? No problem, you're suspended."

"You're willing to give us $600 million worth of stadium-area upgrades and improvements if we'll sign a lease and pledge to stay in town and be solid citizens? Thanks. If we can get another $300 million, we'll think about it."

"We'd love to keep all of our best players down the road, but the price of keeping them might be too much. We realize we could take our profits that we've made and help absorb some of those costs but we'd much prefer to just assess the fan base instead. That way, we stay rich and they bear the brunt of our slipshod past."

It's so incredibly offensive to anyone with a brain, yet they plow on, acting as if it's us who are the crazy ones that don't understand how it all works.

But it all circles back to one common theme. At least it does to me.

I'll just loosely file it under this: Pulling your own weight.

For 12 years or so, the team was terrible. No one around the league helped them get out of the funk they were in from 1998 through 2010.

It wasn't like the Red Sox, Yankees, Cubs, et al sat around in the winter meetings and said, "You know, those Orioles are really having a tough go of it. Why don't we all give them a couple of our better players so they can once again be a proud franchise."

The Orioles eventually returned to the playoffs because they started pulling their own weight. They hired a real manager, a real general manager and made a few draft picks along the way that turned out to be productive decisions.

But in 2023, at least to me, it looks more and more like they're not looking to pull their own weight any longer.

Someone else has to do the work so they can make a profit. Maybe it's that way in every city. But it's the public nature of it that turns people off here in Baltimore.

It's almost as if John Angelos says, "I could try to do this secretly, but I think I'll just get it over with and let it be known pubicly that this is what we need to be fat and happy in the future."

I call b.s. on that one.

When the team sells out the stadium and the outfield advertising and sells out all of the commercial inventory available to them on radio and TV, then, maybe, the owner can drop the news that a ticket price hike down the road might be the only way to keep the team intact.

But as long as they're only selling 23,000 tickets in their 44,000 seat stadium, they have their own concerns to handle.

They're already getting MLB revenue sharing and TV money out the ying-yang every year. They're about $180 million to the good and they haven't sold a ticket, a beer or a parking spot.

At some point, you have to roll up your own sleeves and break a sweat, don't you?

It's like the scene at the end of Training Day when Denzel tells one of the gangsters to "put a cap in this guy's head" and the gangster picks up the gun and says, "You got it twisted, homie. You gotta put your own work in around here."

The Orioles want someone else to shoot Ethan Hawke.

I have a better idea. They should put their own work in, first. Sell out the stadium. Sell all the ads. Generate as much revenue as you can on your own. And then you can raise the ticket prices in a few years when you need $300 million to buy out the last two seasons of Gunnar's rookie contract and sign him to a 7-year deal.

Until then, the fan base owes the Orioles nothing. Zero.

I'm not suggesting there needs to be some kind of en masse protest, walk out, etc. To do that now might disrupt the flow of the team's season on the field, and no one wants to do that. Unlike the front office, with their petty suspension of the TV broadcaster potentially creating conflict and interference, I would never want to be part of something like that with the playoffs approaching.

But even hinting about the organization not having the funds to sign their quality young players in a few years is maddening.

"Free The Birds" might not be necessary. Or prudent, even.

But "Get Your Act Together" could be a nice substitute.

Dinesh D'Souza crushed that mouthy Amherst College kid a few years ago by saying, "I realize you're very good at giving away other student's seats, but why don't you go in and give away your seat?"

The same goes for the Orioles, now, as they try to bilk an extra $300 million of free money from the state of Maryland to help build "Camden Crossing".

Why not put up some of your own money? You want the thing built that badly. Pony up some of your own dough.

The state gives you $600 million and you have the audacity to say, with a straight face, "That's not enough"?

Put your own money in and show everyone where your virtue really is.

And if you do that, maybe, just maybe, when you need $300 million for Gunnar or Adley or Holliday, we'll be ready to step up and swallow the ticket price increase with a smile on our face.

Until then, stop begging the fans for money. Go raise it the old fashioned way. Sell something.

The Ryder Cup drama continues to build in the world of golf as we're now less than a week away from U.S. captain Zach Johnson making his 6 picks.

With the top 6 automatic qualifiers now locked in, it's up to Johnson (and his myriad of assistants) to pick the six guys who will fill out the American team that is seeking their first "road win" since a 1993 triumph at The Belfry in England.

He has quite a task ahead of him, that's for sure.

As things stand now, the "next 6" -- those ranking 7 through 12 in the standings -- are Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, Cameron Young, Collin Morikawa, Keegan Bradley and Sam Burns.

Rickie Fowler is at #13. He's playing this week in the Tour Championship and could still easily move into the top 12 with a nice finish in Atlanta.

The same goes for the guy at #16, Lucas Glover. He's within striking distance of a top 12 spot if he plays well in Atlanta.

The white elephant in the room is Justin Thomas at #15. He didn't make the playoffs, so his ability to help himself ended three weeks ago.

But he's going to draw a lot of interest from Johnson given his previous success in Ryder and Presidents Cup events and, more importantly, his potential partnership with guys like Jordan Spieth and Scottie Scheffler.

That's one area of picking the team that I think is very underrated: Choosing players with match play partners in mind.

Here's something about the Ryder Cup selection process that people tend to overlook. The goal isn't to add the six players who "deserve" to be on the team.

Everyone had a chance to finish in the top six and take care of making the team on their own accord. Only six guys took advantage of that opportunity. They, and only they, "deserve" to be on the team.

The goal isn't to add six "deserving" players. The goal is to add the six players who give the U.S. the best chance to win the Ryder Cup.

This is about winning a golf competition.

Zach Johnson should only be concerned with compiling the 12-man team that gives him the best chance to captain a winning team. The goal is to go over there to Rome and win.

So with that in mind, Johnson has to make the best six picks he can possibly make.

Partners matter.

Recent form matters.

Individual pride matters.

This is about winning. It's not about drinking some good wine and chasing a few cute Italian girls for a week.

As I look at the players who are available in the 7 through 16 spots, I really only know two things for certain: One, Brooks Koepka has to be added to the team. Two, Lucas Glover has to be added as well.

Other than that, I'm willing to listen to virtually any argument for anyone else, including guys like Tony Finau, who are far down the list, points wise, but have the kind of golf game that dovetails nicely with both formats in Italy; better ball and alternate shot.

If Johnson thinks Finau can help him win, put him on that plane to Italy in late September.

I'll wait until next Monday to give my "official" selections, but with one tournament remaining, my guess is these six guys are going to get added to the team by Johnson: Koepka, Spieth, Morikawa, Fowler, Thomas and Glover.

I'm not saying that's who I would take, if given the choice. In fact, those aren't the six I would take. I'll say that much right now.

I'm saying that's who I think Johnson is going with, unless something really weird happens this weekend in Atlanta.

There are some natural pairings in there. You can play Koepka with almost anyone. Spieth goes with Thomas, of course. The only reason you'd even consider adding J.T. to the team is because of Spieth, quite honestly.

Those two have a magic thing going when they play golf together. Their record isn't perfect or anything like that. Heck, Ballesteros and Olazabal even lost once in a while. But Spieth-Thomas is simply too good to pass up. Yes, yes, I've heard rumors that Thomas is struggling with his golf game. That won't matter one bit in late September. He'll be ready.

Fowler and Wyndham Clark seem like a natural grouping. Glover and Brian Harman are a solid fit. Morikawa and Max Homa, perhaps.

I also think Fowler and Scheffler could be a possibility. Thomas might be a great partner with Harman (alternate shot) or Morikawa (better ball) if things don't mesh with Spieth for whatever weird reason.

Johnson could just go right down the list, of course, and simply pick the players who finish 7th through 12th in the standings. He could do that, yes. But that would also render the "captain's pick" concept kind of useless, wouldn't it?

The captain has the right to pick whomever he wants for the team. If he wants to add Bryson DeChambeau, for instance, he can do that. And I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that I wouldn't be totally shocked if Bryson gets picked next week.

I might only give it a 10% chance of happening, but I don't think it's a slam dunk "no" at this point.

And you know what? If Bryson gets picked and goes over there and beats up on those guys, I'm all for it.

This weekend in Atlanta will clean it all up for Johnson, but his picks next week will make or break the team.

He's not looking for the "best six", remember.

He's looking for the "right six".

	SUCH a sports fan
MARK SUCHY is a lifelong Baltimore sports fan, youth basketball coach and father of three athletic sons. A former weekend sports radio host in Baltimore, "Such" occasionally offers his memories and insights on sports related topics here at #DMD.

iowa, part 2

There are a lot of cornfields on the drive from Dubuque to Dyersville. This is Iowa, after all.

But I am still amazed at the sheer acreage of cornfields I see out the passenger window as my cousin and her boyfriend drive us toward the Field of Dreams. Millions of acres, endless, over the rolling farmland, to the far reaches of the horizon, as far as the eye can see.

As we drive, we catch up on life. I haven’t seen Maggie in quite some time, and this is the first time Brian and I have met. They live in Austin. I live in Baltimore. Maybe there will be more family weddings so we can see each other more frequently. It seems as if that chapter of our lives is beginning, the next generation setting off on their lives.

Our conversation turns to spirituality and religion and our personal journeys over the course of each of our lives. How curious that this is the subject as we drive to a baseball diamond in the middle of cornfields.

But even though the movie that was filmed in Dyersville centered on baseball, the theme of it was much different, much deeper, much more spiritual and mystical than simply the game itself. It’s just that baseball can reveal those things. Not much else in life seems to conjure those things up, at least for me.

We turn off the highway and there’s a farm equipment supply store. Of course there is. This is Iowa, after all. We take a quick left and the road winds through more cornfields, then makes a sharp left, through a small thicket of trees.

There, on our right, a few hundred yards ahead, are the light poles. As we approach, we can see the Field of Dreams, cut out of all that corn, shining brightly in the mid-afternoon Iowa sunshine.

Everything is exactly as I remember from the movie. The farmhouse, white and clean, sits on a slight hilltop, looking down as if it were smiling at its little diamond below. There’s a red barn off to the right. The porch swing sits, hanging from the ceiling of the porch, on the corner of the house.

A gift shop has been built off to the side of the little red barn. There’s a concession stand in foul territory along the left field line. But otherwise, the property is just what you’ve seen in Field of Dreams.

My cousin has arranged for his good friend John to give us a tour of the property. John is the executive director of the company Go The Distance, which has acquired the entire Field of Dreams complex, which spans several hundred acres. John shows us around the ballpark in the corn. He answers our questions and shows us a spot on the wooden bleachers where Kevin Costner etched “Ray Loves Annie” with a pocketknife.

Then he walks us down the lane, past the left field corner, and unlocks a gate and escorts us a few hundred yards down to where the major league field sits.

This field is pristine, practically untouched. It’s manicured and raked and all it’s missing are the white chalk baselines. If two Major League teams decided to play a game there tomorrow, the field would be ready. It’s actually beyond immaculate, if there is such a thing.

MLB and Go The Distance are closing in on a contract to have at least one game played here annually, I learned.

Hollywood and the movies are one thing, but the reality of big-league baseball in the 21st Century is that the Field of Dreams you’ve seen could never host a game with honest-to-goodness players. There would be too many balls lost in the corn. The pretty little white farmhouse would undoubtedly suffer some broken windows. It might be suitable for plenty of levels of baseball, but not The Show.

We walk back down the lane towards the original field, and I’m talking some baseball history with another cousin.

There are lots of us gathered for the wedding. I tell Joseph about the 1919 Black Sox scandal, the reasons why eight players would agree to taking payoffs to throw the World Series (Charles Comiskey was a bastard), and how Shoeless Joe Jackson is still revered by baseball fans and historians, long after anyone who saw him play has passed. I suppose a .356 lifetime batting average will generate that kind of reverence.

Our group wanders out into the outfield grass in left field. Everyone is taking pictures, myself included. There are twenty or thirty kids shagging balls as youngsters take their turns batting. It’s a casual and fun atmosphere, just as you would imagine.

I stroll away, by myself, towards center field. I have to walk into the corn. Doesn’t everyone who comes here do the same thing? Have you even seen the movie?

I take a left and walk in between the rows of corn. The stalks are extremely tall. They must be ten to twelve feet high. I walk back a good thirty or forty feet, to a place where it’s quiet, where the mid-afternoon shadows cool the ground, where I’m surrounded by the green leaves rustling around my head, touching my face. I breathe in and out, I close my eyes, and I say a small prayer of gratitude.

Baseball, man. It touches the soul. Again and again, even here, in all of this corn. This is Iowa, after all.

---

This has been a resurgent season for the Baltimore Orioles.

After languishing through six or seven dreary and miserable losing campaigns, the franchise has emerged as a young, exciting team that looks poised to dominate the majors for the foreseeable future.

Led by a pair of young superstars in catcher Adley Rutschman and infielder Gunnar Henderson, the Orioles have moved into first place in the always competitive American League East. It’s honestly a wonder to look at the standings every day and see them 16 games ahead of the New York Yankees. It makes me smile broadly, inside and out.

The farm system is stocked with all kinds of high-level prospects, ranking first overall in MLB Pipeline’s ratings for the past two years. Between the success of the major league club and the abundance of talent headed for Baltimore, this current version of the Orioles is extremely reminiscent of those Orioles I grew up loving in the 1970’s.

I did my best to instill a love of baseball in my three sons, but the dark years of 1998 to 2011 coincided with their youth.

We went to a few games here and there, but deep in my heart I knew I couldn’t expect their childhood heroes to be guys like Marty Cordova and Ty Wigginton. Those types of players littered the Orioles roster for a good dozen years or so. There was no present, and definitely no future, for a franchise that seemed indifferent to on-field success for so long.

Still, I persisted in telling them how there was nothing greater in the world of sports, or really in the world, than following a winning baseball team. Every day was a new adventure, another game that was ripe with the unknown possibilities that only baseball can produce. The drama would continue to build, and the memories would stay with you forever.

Things changed for the better from 2012 to 2016, as the Orioles became relevant contenders for the first time in their lives. And I saw them become genuinely interested and engaged every day in the fortunes of the team. There were some postseason experiences too. The boys finally got to experience October baseball, with its exhilarating highs and crushing lows. I felt vindicated.

It all came crashing down in 2018, though. What seemed like a competent and competitive roster in March completely bottomed out. By the trade deadline in late July, the Orioles basically had no choice but to trade their best young homegrown player in years, Manny Machado, to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a bag of magic beans. A talented young superstar that the boys had admired and called their own was gone.

All of the fun and success of the previous six years had washed away. We were back to ground zero. Again.

To the franchise’s credit, the hiring of General Manager Mike Elias in 2018 has changed everything. Elias is a 21st Century baseball man. He relies on analytics and computer models, and the results are evident throughout the organization. Things like spin rate and launch angle and exit velocity are measured and tracked, not just within their own system, but league wide. The record of the parent club shows the success of the system.

Ever since Rutschman was called up to Baltimore in May of 2022, the team has taken off. There’s something to be said for all of the numbers crunching, but sometimes it’s just about winning players with winning attitudes.

Henderson fits that profile too. You can see their confidence in the body language of every player on the roster. Winning is the expected standard now. That feeling permeates through the entire team.

Modern technology has allowed my sons and me to keep in touch during every game. No matter where our lives take us, we’re on our group text thread as the Orioles are playing. There are comments about most everything that’s happening, both good and bad. There are lots of emojis to express our happiness or our frustration.

And I always close out an Orioles win with orange and black hearts in a long string.

Baseball is seeping into each of their souls, whether they’re aware of it or not. But I’m pretty sure they’re aware. Because it’s there every day now, just as I told them it would be. There’s nothing quite as fun as a winning baseball team. A team that you call your own.

The 3rd and final part of "Iowa" will be published here tomorrow at #DMD.

Tuesday August 22, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3283

the nerve, huh?

I read the New York Times piece about the Orioles and John Angelos yesterday and the only thing I thought as I read it was this:

"You have some nerve..."

I'm not going to go through the whole story paragraph-by-paragraph. If you have even a passing interest in the Orioles and if you spend any time at all on the internet throughout your day, you came across Tyler Kepner's article at some point on Monday.

I assume you were as offended as I was.

Angelos basically laid out a blue print for the future in Baltimore and it was very obvious he was preparing the team's fan base for a sharp increase in ticket prices if the organization wants to keep the likes of Rutschman, Henderson, Westburg and any of the other young stars who will eventually need a mega-pay-day to stay in Charm City.

The nerve, huh?

Each MLB team gets $60 million annually from the league TV deal. Throw in another $61 million the O's reap from the regional sports network (MASN), and they're swimming in $121 million and they haven't sold one ticket, one hot dog, one replica jersey or parked one car.

The club's revenue for 2022 was $264 million. The O's profit in 2022 was $64.7 million, making them the 4th most profitable franchise in all of baseball.

We would have a better feel for the team's finances had Angelos, as promised back in January, opened the team's books for everyone to check out. Alas, he's never doing that, despite any public promises he might otherwise make. Those books will never be available for public consumption.

But the raw numbers aren't that hard to figure out. $264 million in revenue last year, $64 million in profit. That's good work if you can get it, huh?

Now, though, Angelos tells the New York Times "things are going to have to change" if the Birds want to sign their top players in a few years.

"We'll have to raise prices -- dramatically," Angelos told Kepner.

And you thought the Kevin Brown fiasco was the team's biggest #clownshoes moment of the year.

Here you have the guy running the team speaking out late in the season and essentially forewarning fans of the team the ballclub is going to have a tough time keeping its young group of talented players in Baltimore unless ticket buyers are willing to pony up more money to help keep them in orange and black.

I think most logical fans understand there are always going to be increases along the way. It works that way in every industry. Milk and eggs cost more than they did 10 years ago. So does coffee. We get it. Prices go up.

But to dangle this carrot out there now is amateur-hour stuff. They're your players. You pay for them. If they deserve "dramatic" pay increases, how about you get those smart folks in your sales department to go out and sell more outfield advertisements?

Find a company to advertise on the clock near the scoreboard, you know, like The Sun used to do before you got into a beef with them and kicked them to the curb.

Here's another novel concept for J.A. and his staff. Sell more tickets.

Add a couple of concerts if you need to do that. The Rolling Stones are probably touring soon. Foo Fighters, maybe? Adele? There are countless bands and artists you can coax into coming to the baseball stadium for a $1.5 million pay day.

Before you start threatening the fans with the possibility of losing marquee players, why not do something on your end? Roll up your sleeves and get to work.

Fans understand costs go up. Winning increases your team's value and you can, accordingly, increase prices because of that success.

But crying about how much baseball players are going to cost three or four years out and prepping us that we will have to deal with "dramatic price increases" is bush league.

Oh, and team is in first place. Enjoying their best season in almost three decades. They have a chance to make some real noise in the playoffs in six weeks.

And now we get this article yesterday.

There was a bunch of other nonsense in the NYT piece about creating a "unique downtown area" that will increase the visibility of the baseball stadium (and the team) and give Baltimore "something to be proud of".

Here's what we'd like to be proud of: A winning team and a sane ownership group.

We're not that hard to please, honestly.

But it's not going to happen, apparently, because the organization doesn't want to pay for their own dessert. They want you to pay for their cake. You know, the one they're going to eat right there in front of you.

$120 million (and some change) from TV alone. $64 million in profit last year. And you're firing warning shots to the fans about not being able to retain the likes of Rutschman, Henderson and others?

Come on, man, just sell the team already.

This is clearly not your cup of tea. We're forever grateful to Peter Angelos for buying the club 30 years and keeping it in Baltimore, but it's time to play chess. And you guys think the rooks can move diagonally. You don't know how to play the game.

Get out, please. We finally have a winning team after years of enduring 60-102 baseball and you're making it less enjoyable, if that's somehow even possible.

The funniest part about all of this August drama is this: The 2023 team, on the field, can't stop winning. It's as if they're oblivious to the foolishness being produced by the front office.

First it was Kevin Brown, "suspended" for basically no reason at all.

Then it was the news that $600 million in free money isn't enough. The team needs $900 million in order to sign a new lease extension.

And now it's John Angelos yapping about having an elementary school in the Warehouse and a restaurant district near the stadium at some point down the road. Here's a tip from the top, John. We don't want an elementary school in the Warehouse. We want Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson to be Orioles for life.

Build your school and restaurants somewhere else. Nashville, perhaps.

And leave the baseball team to someone who won't threaten the fans with increased ticket prices because they don't want the ballclub to shoulder the burden of paying their own expenses.

This is almost looking like a scene from the movie, Major League. Are we 100% certain they're not trying to sabotage this 2023 season?

Short memories. That's what they have in the Warehouse.

For the better part of the last 25 years, the Orioles have been one of the more moribund franchises in all of sports. 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2023 are the outliers. All of the other years between 1998 and 2023 were pretty much disasters.

Why is that important? Because throughout those years, while the Orioles scuffled just to win 65 games, the organization charged Major League prices to watch -- basically -- Minor League baseball.

We all know that's the truth.

Terrible teams, year after year after year, were met with Major League prices. We didn't see a lot of Major League Baseball for two decades but we sure paid Major League cash to watch 50, 55 and 60 win teams.

Now the team is great and only going to get better in the next 3-5 years and this dude shows up in a national article and tells us all to enjoy it now because eventually it's going to fade away unless we're willing to pony up to have the team stay intact?

As Eminem says in "25 to Life": This is how I get repaid?

You slap together a rag-tag group of 25 guys for 21 of the last 25 years and then, suddenly, you're going to tell me that I'll have to chip in and help keep the young guns when they start getting their first real pay day in a few years?

You have some freakin' nerve in that Warehouse, I'll tell ya.

Our friend Mark Suchy has sent along a wonderful piece about baseball and his recent trip to the Midwest. It will appear here over the next three days, so please stick around and enjoy his trip to Iowa and baseball's "Field of Dreams".

I've known Mark for going on 15 years or so now and on almost any occasion we chat or I read something of his, it dawns on me that we're kindred spirits. A few years ago, a chance meet-up in Ocean City led to long discussions about sports and life on the back deck of an oceanfront place at the beach.

We talked about a lot of the things he covers in "Iowa", below. Our fondness for the Orioles, wiffle ball as a kid and falling asleep listening to baseball on the radio.

My mom sounds a lot like Mark's mother. We, too, had radios on in my house in Glen Burnie any time the Orioles or Colts played. I knew just how to position the transistor radio to get the best sound quality available on the AM band.

In my teens, I'd curl up in bed at night listening to Ron Weber describe another 7-2 Capitals loss. It was then that the magic of radio and sports broadcasting really grabbed me. I can honestly say I grew up wanting to be Ron Weber.

I had it all mapped out. I'd start out in Johnstown or Utica as a minor league play-by-play guy, paying my dues like all the greats did. At some point, I'd step up to Hershey or Peoria or somewhere like that.

And eventually, I'd be sitting in the Capital Centre fulfilling a lifelong dream.

The radio did that to me.

In 1981, when I started my modest "radio career" at tiny little WJRO in Glen Burnie, I put electric tape on the kitchen table to outline for my mom and dad where the radio was best positioned to pick up 1590 AM.

The radio did something for them, too.

Mark's Iowa piece is one of the best things ever published here. I'm quite certain it will move you to think about your life in the same way it moved me to think about mine.

Also -- thanks to all of you who took time to send along personal notes yesterday as I remarked about the importance of August 21 in these parts.

Over the years, the two dates (August 21 and August 24) have diminished in emphasis, but they're always important nonetheless.

They're like birthdays. The older you get, the more you're excited to be around to celebrate them, but the less you want them celebrated because, well, you're actually getting older, not younger.

August 21 and August 24 are important, sure. But life goes on for all of us. And eventually those two dates just sort of blend in with everything else.

Someone e-mailed me yesterday and said, "I assume you're going to have a big blow out article on Thursday to celebrate your 9-year anniversary."

My reply was: "Let me get to Thursday first and I'll let you know."

We take it one day at a time here.

I'll let you know about Thursday when I get to Thursday.

Anyway, enjoy Mark's outstanding piece about his love for baseball.

I sure did.

	SUCH a sports fan
MARK SUCHY is a lifelong Baltimore sports fan, youth basketball coach and father of three athletic sons. A former weekend sports radio host in Baltimore, "Such" occasionally offers his memories and insights on sports related topics here at #DMD.

iowa

The plane is lifting off, and the familiar thrust of the jet engines pushes us up into the sky, pointing west before banking to the north, then turning east towards Chicago.

I lean forward in my seat and look out the window, taking in the landscape below. There are rivers and lakes and fields that are a patchwork of brown and yellow and green. It’s all farmland and corn. There are cornfields everywhere. This is Iowa, after all.

My mother and I had lunch together in the airport before departing. I walked with her to the gate for her flight. She was flying to Denver, and my cousin was kind enough to offer to go with her so that I could come home. She can’t travel alone any more. Her comprehension and her memory are slipping. I shudder at the very thought of her wandering unassisted through an airport, or any crowded place where people are hustling past. She might easily wind up in North Dakota instead of Colorado.

We hugged goodbye, and I gave Stephen a hug and thanked him again for volunteering for the mission. I watched as their plane pulled away from the terminal and taxied towards the runway. Then I walked to my gate to wait to board.

As the plane began to ascend into a cloudbank, I took one final look at the green fields of eastern Iowa below. I had never been here before. A family wedding gave me reason to come. It was prettier than I expected. There were hills and beautiful old Victorian homes on the bluffs above the Mississippi River. There was a charming downtown with a circle in the center that had an old clock tower. There were hipster bars and restaurants in renovated brick buildings.

And there was baseball, of course. There is always baseball.

---

There is no other sport that has the nostalgic pull of baseball. There may be moments in other sports from my childhood that I can associate with certain games and players, but I don’t remember the seasons or the particular players in the same way.

For example, my father would take me to Maryland basketball games in the early to mid-1970s. I remember seeing some all-time greats play. There were legendary coaches like Dean Smith of North Carolina and Jerry Tarkanian of UNLV. Cole Field House was this massive barn-like structure that felt like a sauna on a cold January night. It was magical and memorable, but not in the same way as baseball.

I saw numerous Baltimore Colts games at the old Memorial Stadium on 33rd Street in Baltimore. There was that hot September afternoon in 1973 when Johnny Unitas and Joe Namath threw the football all over the place and the Jets beat the Colts.

There were cold November evenings when the wind swept down and around the field as the Colts continued to slide into the lower echelon of the standings. There was that rainy and chilly December day in 1983 when I watched them lose again to the Jets, completely unaware that would be the last time I would ever see them play a game as the Baltimore Colts.

It was magical and memorable, but not in the same way as baseball.

That’s the thing about baseball that has always hit me differently; it touched my soul from the very first moment I saw the shimmering emerald green grass and the reddish-brown dirt as my grandfather and I walked up the ramp and into the lower seats on the third base side in Memorial Stadium. I was about six or seven years old. I could hear the thump of the ball in the glove as the players warmed up. I could hear their chatter and their laughter. I could smell baseball and the ballpark all at once. I was hooked.

As I grew up, the game was always there. Seasons began in the misty cold nights of April, then heated up as summer came along, until late September and early October rolled in, and the leaves began to turn, and you could see your breath some nights as you sat in the ballpark and watched a game. Baseball is a drama that takes three seasons of the year to unfold. It follows you as much as you follow it.

Part of the charm and the allure of baseball is in its simplicity. You grab your glove and a ball and find someone and have a catch. Throwing and catching a ball is remarkably uncomplicated. The act can be performed practically anywhere, from a front yard to a city street to an open field somewhere on, let’s say, a farm.

You don’t really even need to move that much if you’re so inclined. Just have enough space to stand a few yards apart and start throwing.

There are many variations on the theme of baseball that can be played. Growing up, my neighbors and I would use an old wooden bat and some tennis balls and play Home Run Derby in their front yard. They had a row of giant pine trees on the far side of the driveway, and it was an automatic grand slam if you could clear the tops of them with a blast. It was our own miniature Big Green Monster, just like Fenway Park in Boston.

We played wiffle ball too, of course. I could never quite master the art of throwing a wicked curveball with it, but whenever I would break one off, I felt like Jim Palmer snapping his curve and freezing some poor hitter. When we played at the beach, we’d fill the bats with sand to try and get a little more weight behind our swings. And we always batted with the wind at our backs.

During recess in grade school, we used a broom handle and one of those little red rubber balls that would bounce twenty or thirty feet when you threw it against the pavement. It was hard hitting that thing with such a thin bat, and a lot of games ended with a ball flying onto the roof of the school or deep into the scrub brush beyond the parking lot.

I was never a very good hitter, but in those moments where I made solid contact and drove a ball towards whatever the outfield was, I imagined myself performing heroic acts in front of thousands of adoring fans in Memorial Stadium. My Orioles uniform shone bright white, except for the pants legs that had dirt stains on them from sliding into bases, because I played hard and always took the extra base. Baseball made me dream that way.

In the era before cable television and regional sports networks, a transistor radio was a necessity for any diehard baseball fan. There were countless nights I would listen to Chuck Thompson and Bill O’Donnell on the call of the Orioles game. If I left my bedroom to get a snack, I could hear their voices emanating from the basement.

Mom would always listen as she did laundry or sewed or worked on one of her household projects.

If the Orioles were on a West Coast swing, I’d fall asleep with that little battery powered radio by my head. There were many nights I’d wake up at two or three in the morning and wait for the news update to hear the score if I’d dozed off.

Baseball was a consistent and reliable friend to me. It taught me things about life that nothing else could, and it taught those things over a period of time. Most of those lessons had to be learned over the course of a season: You’d win, you’d lose, you’d play again tomorrow, you’d get hot, you’d have slumps, you’d work on the little things to improve, you’d smile, you’d laugh, you’d shout in joy at the unexpected triumphs, you’d yell in anguish and disbelief, you’d cry, you’d move on, but you’d never forget.

How could you forget all those things that make up the fabric of your life?

---

In the final years of his life, my grandfather moved into my parents’ house. His memory was fading, and he was unable to do the little daily things we all have to do to take care of ourselves. I remember that there wasn’t any discussion or debate; Mom and Dad just put him in my little brother’s room (he was off to college by then), and that was that.

Mr. Mac was a wonderful and gentle soul. He was from Providence, Rhode Island, and he was as traditional a New Englander as anyone you could imagine. He always ate sensible portions, he never cursed, he didn’t believe in credit (if you didn’t have the money, you simply didn’t buy it), he told corny jokes and always smiled when he did, and he valued his family most of all.

He had played multiple sports growing up. He ran cross country, he played football with a leather helmet (I still have it), and he played town baseball. I remember him saying that he loved baseball, but the season was always too short, because it was difficult to play in Rhode Island until May. I always enjoyed hearing his stories about his athletic exploits.

I had been to a few Orioles games before, I know I had, but for whatever reason, it was that June night in 1973 or 1974 when he took me that I remember the most. I have no earthly idea why. Maybe it was because it was just the two of us, and that made me feel special.

The thing I liked most was being able to sit and talk with him during the game. Baseball lets you do that. You can launch into conversations about anything and everything. I’m sure he talked about players and games that he remembered from his youth. When he was growing up, the only way to see a game was to go to a game.

There were more games together as the years passed, and games with my father, and games with my friends, and games with my little brother. Living in Baltimore, going to several Orioles games was as much a part of summer as snowballs and crabs. It was something you did several times a year, and it was something you always looked forward to.

As my grandfather slowly lost his memory, his stories grew more fantastical. He talked about shooting a Japanese soldier in the backyard of his farm in Providence, which obviously never happened. Unless I missed it, I don’t think the Japanese army ever invaded Rhode Island. He talked about seeing a tiger in the woods around my parents’ house. He mixed up people and places and historical events, sometimes putting himself in the story.

But there was one thing he used to talk about that always piqued my interest. He talked about having caught Allie Reynolds.

Reynolds was a right-handed pitcher who spent 13 seasons in the majors, playing for the Cleveland Indians and the New York Yankees. He won 182 games in his career, which is damned impressive. He led the majors in 1952 with a 2.06 ERA. He played from 1942 to 1954, retiring at the age of 37.

I always wondered why it was Allie Reynolds that my grandfather chose to remember. Had he met him at some point in their lives?

When would he possibly have caught a game that Reynolds pitched? Granddad was seven years older than Reynolds. And Reynolds was from Oklahoma, of all places, nowhere near Providence. By 1942, when Reynolds broke into the big leagues, my grandfather had moved his young family to Wheeling, West Virginia for a better job.

Here’s the thing about it, though: I believe him. I believed him then and I believe him to this day.

Whether it was a pickup game or a high school game or a semi-pro game somewhere in Providence or Baltimore or some forgotten town on the eastern seaboard doesn’t matter. My grandfather played baseball.

He was a good young catcher. I used to play catch with him in our front yard and even in his seventies the man could still spin a baseball. He threw with accuracy and velocity and movement.

He may have been unassuming and humble, but Mr. Mac was definitely a ballplayer. And somewhere on his journey on this planet, he caught a game that Allie Reynolds pitched. I don’t need to know the specifics, I don’t need to see a box score, I don’t need somebody else to corroborate it.

Baseball, and my grandfather, would never lie.

And even as his mind began to fade, and his memories were fogging up, he told that story about baseball and Allie Reynolds to me, to my friends.

, and to our family. And I know exactly why he did: Because baseball was in his soul.

Part 2 of “Iowa” runs tomorrow here at #DMD

Monday August 21, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3282

and now there's a "magic number"

It's August 21, which is actually symbolic around here for other reasons, and the Orioles actually have a magic number.

Baseball uses that term to reference the combination of wins and losses (by others) a team needs to qualify for the playoffs and/or win their division championship.

For the Orioles, now at 77-47, that number is "35", according to the math-inclined folks at PlayoffStatus.com.

Let the countdown begin, huh?

The Birds, as we told you they would here on Thursday, romped past the A's for a three-game weekend sweep in Oakland. Those who heeded our advice and wagered accordingly can send along a gratuity at your leisure. You have my Venmo by now, I'm sure.

"You beat who they put on the schedule," is the easiest way to deflect any sort of criticism of the O's taking three of three from the A's.

What's better? Beating Oakland three straight or losing once or twice to them? I mean, a Flyers fan can figure that one out and doesn't even need the teacher's aide hanging over his shoulder showing him how to do the calculations.

So the Birds now return home flying high, hosting Toronto for three this week, then Colorado over the weekend, and then White Sox next Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday.

I'm not bold enough to predict a 9-0 record and 11-game winning streak, but it's looking like Romper Room kind of fun for the Orioles over the next 9 games. I'm thinking something like 7-2. Maybe lose once to the Blue Jays and then once to either the Rockies or White Sox.

Anything less than 6-3 would almost be a shock, I'd say.

And if you think things are a hoot right now, just wait a couple of weeks and see if the Birds do, in fact, call up Jackson Holliday for the month of September. There are stories swirling from nationbal baseball writers that indicate Mike Elias is seriously considering a September call-up for the 2022 first round draft choice.

I'm personally not sure I believe it, but I'm not going to say I'd be shocked if it happens, either. No one can get Holliday out at any level of pitching he's faced thus far. What would it hurt to bring him to Baltimore in September and see if some of the 2023 magic rubs off on him?

It's August 21st and the O's have a magic number of "35" to clinch a playoff spot.

Ain't the beer cold?

Although the "birthday" of Drew's Morning Dish is technically August 24 (2014), there's a sliver of truth that this enterprise was actually birthed on August 21, 2014.

It was on that day my radio career ended (at least the full time variety) and #DMD was hatched, thanks to a chance phone call from my friend Tony Young and a 5 pm meeting at Panera Bread in White Marsh.

Like many others on that fateful day, Young had reached out to me by phone in mid-afternoon on that Friday. Except he didn't offer a few minutes of support or consolation. He got right to the point.

"So, what are you going to do with yourself?" he asked.

"Hell, Tony, I don't know, I just got fired three hours ago," I replied.

"I'll tell you what you're going to do. You know that blog you post every morning before your show, Drew's Morning Dish? You're going to just pick up with that this Monday and roll on from there."

"Yeah, well, let me think about it," I said.

"There's no thinking needed," he shot back. "I'm going to build the website over the weekend and on Monday morning, we're launching it. Go find a few advertisers and let's get to work."

I sent out a handful of e-mails to friends I'd made over the years in the corporate world. One of them, Frank Schilling of Royal Farms, returned my e-mail within a few minutes.

"We're in," he said. "Whatever support you need, count on Royal Farms. We'd love to be involved."

I headed to Panera a couple of hours later, unsure of exactly what I was going to do but armed with the knowledge I had at least sponsor to help get me started.

I called my wife.

"I just hired Tony Young to help me start a website," I explained to her.

"You just got fired at 10 am and now you're telling me you've hired someone and you have to pay them?" she asked. I could sense a certain amount of disbelief in her voice. And frustration, too. I could understand where she was coming from on both angles.

"Yes, I did. I know it's weird. But I think this is a good idea," I said.

And that night, between 5 pm and 8 pm in White Marsh, #DMD was born.

I owe a lot in my life to that August 21 "event" at the radio station.

I wouldn't be involved with FCA Golf.

I wouldn't be on the staff at Immaculate Heart of Mary church.

I wouldn't have been able to see my two children head off to school every morning for the last nine years.

And #DMD wouldn't be here, either.

No trips to Augusta National.

I wouldn't have taken 28 people to London for the Ravens game in 2017.

I probably wouldn't have ever taken a group of 7 clients to Pebble Beach if not for August 21, 2014.

I owe Tony Young a huge thank you for stepping up that day and guiding me in the right direction.

We'll have more here in a few days when we celebrate 9 straight years of publishing.

Let the good times roll, as the Cars would say.

Six spots have now been secured on the U.S. Ryder Cup team and one of them does not belong to Brooks Koepka.

That was the big news from Olympia Fields yesterday, where Viktor Hovland produced an improbable back nine to steal the BMW Championship from Scottie Scheffler. Hovland won at 17-under and moves into 2nd place in the FedEx Cup standings, trailing only Scheffler as they head to the season's final tournament next week in Atlanta.

But there was a lot of drama over the last hour in Chicago on Sunday, as Koepke was eliminated from a top 6 spot in the Ryder Cup by Xander Schauffele and Brian Harman.

Because he can no longer gain any points moving forward, Koepka is going to have to rely on captain Zach Johnson to pick him for the team that goes to Rome late next month.

That's a big story in the world of golf. More on that in a minute.

Denny McCarthy came to the last hole yesterday needing a birdie to secure his spot in the Tour Championship next week. That appearance not only would have guaranteed McCarthy a spot in next year's Masters, it would have also given him an opportunity to earn more Ryder Cup points as well.

Alas, McCarthy failed to birdie that last hole and will not head to East Lake. He now sits at #14 in the standings, one spot behind Rickie Fowler (#13) and one ahead of Justin Thomas (#15). His season is likely over unless he receives that phone call from Johnson.

But with Koepka's situation now up in the air, it could afford Johnson one extra pick he wasn't otherwise thinking about while Brooks was occupying one of the "automatic top 6" spots. Does he still invite Koepka as a captain's pick or will Johnson continue to fuel the PGA Tour/LIV fire and not give the 2023 PGA Champion a spot on the team?

The bet here is Koepka is added to the team.

The squad is already light enough with guys like Harman, Homa, Clark and, potentially, Burns on the team. They need some experience and Koepka certainly provides that.

Speaking of Burns, he played well enough yesterday to move past Rickie Fowler and into 12th place in the standings. Both Burns and Fowler are going to East Lake, where they'll be able to garner more points moving forward, but the guess is that both of them will not be captain's pick. One goes and one stays home.

Scheffler, meanwhile, continued to play out-of-this-world golf with nothing to show for it.

His numbers from Chicago were mind-boggling, but a balky back-nine putter allowed Hovland to race past him and win the title.

Scheffler led the field in strokes gained off the tee (+5.29) and strokes gained approach (+8.03). Those two pieces of data basically show he was far and away the best ball striker in the field of 50 at Olympia Fields.

He finished 38th in strokes gained putting (-1.39).

That's where he lost the tournament. Again.

In 2023, Sheffler is almost 3 shots better PER-ROUND than every other player in the world (that plays the PGA Tour, obviously). Think about that. In a 4-day tournament, he has a 12-shot lead before the first tee ball goes in the air.

And yet, he's only won twice.

His 2023 season would be almost "Tiger like" had he simply putted decently over the last six months. He'd have 8 wins -- or more -- if not for his lousy putting.

Meanwhile, Zach Johnson has one more week to sort out his team for Rome and figure out who might partner well with Scheffler next month.

The top 6 are locked in (Scheffler, Clark, Harman, Homa, Schauffele and Cantlay.

Then it's Koepka, Spieth, Young, Morikawa, Burns (12), followed by Fowler, McCarthy, Thomas and Glover.

Oh, and don't look now, but Russell Henley has quietly put together a terrific summer, stats wise, even if he hasn't cracked the top 12 in Ryder Cup points.

Glover and Fowler are playing next week in Atlanta. It's unlikely they'll win there given the staggered scoring that accompanies the Tour Championship, but both could play their way into the top 12 very easily.

Last week here at #DMD, I said my "add ons" would include Glover and Fowler, plus Justin Thomas. Now that Koepka has fallen out of the top 6 and needs a captain's pick, I'd have to think long and hard on that one before giving a LIV player a spot on the team.

I'm not saying I wouldn't add Koepka. But I'm not saying it's an automatic "yes", either. I'd like to see who finishes in the top 12 after next Sunday before making my final call.

I assume that's the same strategy Zach Johnson is employing, in fact.

	"Randy On The O's"
Randy Morgan takes #DMD readers through the recent week in Orioles baseball as the Birds try to lay claim to the 2023 A.L. East title.

orioles week in review

Week Record: 4-2

Season Record: 77-47

AL East Standing: 1st Place (+3 on TB; +8.5 on WC)

Magic Number: 35

Player of the Week: Gunnar Henderson - .462 avg .500 OBP 2HR 9RBI

The Orioles continued to move closer to playoff contention this week, managing to maintain their three game lead at the top of the AL East.

The Birds had a difficult time to start the week, dropping two of three to a desperate and talented Padres team, but they finished the week strong, taking care of business with a sweep of the hapless Athletics.

Grayson Rodriguez led off the week with his best start of the season on Monday, giving up just one run in seven innings with six strikeouts to help secure a 4-1 win. The rookie fireballer continues to get better and better after his return from the minors.

If he can avoid fatigue down the stretch he could be a pitcher no opponent wants to see in the playoffs.

On the offensive side of things, it was Gunnar Henderson who broke the game open with a clutch three-run double in the 5th inning that pushed the O’s lead to 4-0. Jacob Webb and Felix Bautista helped to close it out for a series opening win.

Unfortunately that was all the O’s got from the Padres. Game two was over before it started, with Jack Flaherty getting shelled from the onset, giving up a first inning grand slam to put the Padres up 5-0. Things didn’t get any better from there and Flaherty was out after the 3rd inning, en route to a 10-3 Orioles loss.

At this point it appears they got what they paid for in Flaherty, an inconsistent and ultimately league average starter. The team can only hope that Flaherty can bottle his best stuff for a few starts in the playoffs.

The Birds got out to an early lead in the rubber match in San Diego, but Blake Snell proceeded to hold them in check after that, before the Padres bullpen outdueled their O’s counterparts.

The O’s took a 1st inning lead but the Padres battled back to make it 3-1 with a 3rd inning rally. Ryan Mountcastle homered in the 6th to cut the lead to 3-2, but Shintaro Fujinami and Cionel Perez combined to give up two in the 7th and the O’s never recovered.

This game featured one of the more embarrassing sequences of the season, when Perez allowed Fernando Tatis Jr. to go from 1st to 3rd on a wild pickoff attempt, then proceeded to let him steal home without even noticing he was running.

Things got better when the team headed up to northern California for three against the bottom-dwelling Oakland A’s. On Friday, the Birds burst out to an early lead with a three-run 1st inning led once again by Ryan Mountcastle. Another moon shot from Gunnar Henderson extended the lead to 5-1 in the second.

Despite the large lead, Kyle Gibson struggled to get through five innings, but left the team with a sizable advantage and the offense was good enough that it wouldn’t matter. Every Orioles starter got a hit in this game as they continued to pile on, leading to a 9-4 win after four clean innings from the bullpen.

Things were a little more difficult on Saturday, with the O’s needing extra innings to pull out a 7-2 win. They were led by a banner day from James McCann, who started by throwing out the A’s speedy leadoff man, and followed that with a deep home run and an RBI single that helped the O’s pull away in the 10th.

Felix Bautista was instrumental in this one as well, coming on in the 9th to keep the game tied and staying in to close it out in the 10th and get the win.

Finally, the Orioles closed out the week with one of their more complete games of the season. Kyle Bradish was nearly unhittable on the mound, throwing six innings of scoreless, two-hit ball, while striking out eight. Meanwhile, Gunnar Henderson led an offensive onslaught for a 12-1 victory.

Gunnar came up in the 8th needing just a single for the cycle and instead he legged out a double, for what I’ll call a cycle+. In addition to Gunnar, Ryan Mountcastle and Adley Rutschman stayed hot, with Mounty going deep once again and Adley getting on base three times.

It was between those three for Player of the Week honors, but Gunnar’s outstanding Sunday put him ahead of the competition. After the 4-5 effort, he finished the week with a .462 average and .500 on-base percentage, along with two homers and nine runs batted in.

Henderson has also started to separate himself from the field for the AL Rookie of the Year, which now stands to net the O’s an extra draft pick.

Down on the Farm –

In the minors this week, Norfolk had a rough start but finished the weekend strong. The standout of the week was starter Chayce McDermott, who delivered two strong starts.

Across seven appearances since getting the call-up to AAA, McDermott has pitched to a 2.31 ERA with 45 K’s in just 35 innings and a 0.97 WHIP. The 24 year old who came over as part of the Trey Mancini trade last year is quickly becoming an interesting prospect.

Colton Cowser was back down at Norfolk this week and picked up where he left off dominating the minors. Cowser looks to be taking advantage of the reset, finishing the week with a 3-5 game with a homer and a double to help in a 6-5 win.

In addition to Cowser, Coby Mayo had a big week for Nofolk, showing his power can play at this level as well as it did in AA. DL Hall also delivered several more strong innings for Norfolk as well, as he looks ready to return to Baltimore and help the bullpen very soon.

In AA Bowie, Jackson Holliday kept doing super-prospect Jackson Holliday things, generating some possibly unsubstantiated buzz that the Orioles could call him up in September.

He finished the week with a .350 average and .981 OPS. Fellow 2022 draftee Dylan Beavers had a strong week as well, and he sports a .328 average and .841 OPS so far after promotion to AA.

Further down the ladder, fast-rising catching prospect Samuel Basallo had a big week in Aberdeen after his recent promotion from Delmarva. 2023 first round pick, Enrique Bradfield Jr., has also impressed in his short time at Delmarva, putting up some incredible stolen base numbers.

Question of the Week –

The stretch run of the season is fully up on us and as September approaches, the Orioles will have some decisions to make. On September 1st, rosters will expand for the remainder of the regular season. Unlike years in the past where teams could call up anyone on their 40-man roster, the expansion is now limited to just two players. So the question of the week is:

Who will the Orioles call up for the additional two September roster spots?

For the sake of this exercise, let's assume they will call up one pitcher and one position player. Teams are limited to 14 pitchers and it seems unlikely with the six-man rotation that the O’s would opt to use both spots on position players.

There are a couple of fairly obvious choices for these spots and those are in all honesty the most likely selections. Colton Cowser had been with the team since early July before being sent down when Cedric Mullins and Aaron Hicks returned from injury.

Though he had his struggles at the big league club, he mostly picked up where he left off with success at the plate in AAA. He is the likely and obvious choice to return to the major league team after a short reset at Norfolk.

Even though Ryan McKenna was recalled when Aaron Hicks when back on the IL, Cowser provides a left-handed bat that could be useful off the bench down the stretch.

There are a few other options to consider if the front office feels like Cowser isn’t ready to rejoin the team. The most exciting and buzzworthy choice among fans would be to bring up the number one prospect in all the minors, last year’s 1st overall pick, Jackson Holliday.

Many would point to the call up of a teenage Manny Machado in 2012 that helped push the O’s into the playoffs. However, that was under very different circumstances. There was a gaping hole at third base on that team and Machado was seen as an instant defensive upgrade. That team was also not leading the American League at the time.

This version of the Birds is much more stocked with talent and there isn’t an obvious place for Holliday right now, with Gunnar Henderson and Jordan Westburg now nearly everyday infielders and veterans Ramon Urias, Adam Frazier and Jorge Mateo still on the roster.

It seems more plausible that the O’s will find a spot for Holliday at the start of next season.

Two other more feasible options are Cowser’s teammates at Norfolk, infielder Joey Ortiz or outfielder/first baseman Heston Kjerstad. Both of these players have had similar success to Cowser at AAA this year and look to be major-league ready. They both will also need to be on the 40-man roster by the start of next season.

Ortiz faces a similar problem to Holliday, in that the infield is pretty packed right now. He would probably be more of an option if the team were to move on from Jorge Mateo. He provides gold glove potential defensively and is hitting well north of .300 at Norfolk.

Kjerstad is another left handed bat, also hitting well above .300 with power that could play very well in Camden Yards. He has shown the flexibility to play right field or first base this season as well.

The least exciting and perhaps most practical hitter that could be added is Ryan McKenna, who is currently with the team with Aaron Hicks back on the IL. McKenna is a known asset, with the best outfield glove available off the bench. The front office may value his defense more than Cowser’s left-handed bat potential, especially if Hicks returns as another left-handed option.

Finally, one speculative option that is purely for fun. 2023 1st round draft pick Enrique Bradfield Jr. has gotten off to a quick start at Low-A Delmarva, putting up some incredible stolen base numbers. He is obviously a raw talent at this point, but he was reported to be a major-league level defender in center field.

f the Orioles wanted to make room for an infielder like Ortiz by DFA’ing Jorge Mateo, Bradfield Jr. could provide a similar speed option off the bench. It’s also not completely unprecedented, as the Angels just called up their 2023 1st round pick this week.

As far as pitching options go, there are two that would appear to be at the top of the list. DL Hall may be the most obvious choice, especially if Danny Coulombe remains injured. Hall has displayed the immense talent that made him one of the O’s top pitching prospects since his return from an extended de-loading/strengthening period.

Hall has been pitching short stints out of the bullpen and could provide another hard-throwing lefty option in the late innings.

The other probable selection would be Tyler Wells. The Birds most reliable starter in the first half, Wells fell off a cliff after the All-Star break, looking fatigued. He has gone back to AA Bowie to reset and looks like he could be ready to return soon as a middle relief option.

John Means has been rehabbing at AA Bowie the past few weeks and presents another intriguing option. Means has been gradually stretching out his starts, getting up to four innings on Sunday.

He is still getting his feet under him after over a year away from the mound. So while he may not be ready to return to the O’s by September 1st, he could eventually bolster the starting rotation heading into the playoffs.

A few other pitchers could garner consideration to help fortify the bullpen if its not Hall, Wells or Means. Nick Vespi is currently with the O’s as the replacement for the injured Coulombe, but he could stay on as an extra lefty alongside Coulombe.

Bryan Baker has been down at Norfolk for a bit now, but he could be recalled if the team thinks he has worked out his issues.

Austin Voth and TJ McFarland are two other veteran arms currently in the minors that could add some experience to the pen. Finally there is Chayce McDermott, who has been outstanding since moving up to Norfolk, but would need to adjust to working out of the bullpen unless he were to replace one of the current six starters.

No matter what the choices are, the extra September roster spots should benefit the Orioles more than most, thanks to the incredible organizational depth they have built up this year.

This Week –

This week the Orioles return from the west coast to begin a nine game homestand. They’ll get a day off on Monday before a three game series with the Toronto Blue Jays. The Jays are neck and neck with the Mariners for the last Wild Card spot and enter the week 5-5 in their last ten. The O’s will hope they can continue their domination of their division rivals from the north.

They will follow that with a three game weekend set against the Colorado Rockies, who sit at the bottom of the National League. Colorado enters the week 3-7 in their last ten and the O’s will be looking to get fat on them like they did with Oakland.

Sunday August 20, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3281

"is this a problem with our medical staff?"

Some e-mails that come in are better than others.

In this case, "better" means "wacky", I suppose. I'm not sure how else I would describe Evan's e-mail that I received on Thursday of this week.

And the only reason I'm actually bringing this up today is because Evan is most certainly not the only person in Baltimore who has shared the opinion you'll see below.

His e-mail just put me over the top, that's all.

"Hey Drew, am I reading too much into this or is there something wrong with the Ravens training and medical staff? Now we've lost Marlon Humphrey for a month? Do the players work out too hard in the pre-season practices? Shouldn't Harbaugh (the Horrible) have more of an idea of how hard his players are working and then getting injured from it? Every off season in August we always get 2 or 3 big injuries, like a couple of years ago when it was Dobbins and Edwards both getting hurt in the exhibition season. And now it has happened again with Marlo. Any thoughts about this Drew?"

Yes, Evan, I have a thought about it.

You're crazy.

And by crazy, I mean strictly about this topic particular. You might very well be intelligent in the normal course of your day. But if you think the Ravens trainers are the reason why guys get hurt playing a contact sport then I'm not sure anything I can say here will make you see the light.

J.K. Dobbins blew out his knee because sometimes that's what happens when you're a running back in the NFL and you plant awkwardly and your ACL says, "OK, I'm going to go ahead and shred right now."

Guys who get hurt in training camp get hurt because football happens.

Marlon Humphrey didn't get injured because Ravens trainers and medical personnel are negligent. If you think otherwise, you're probably one of those people who thinks the U.S. government blew up the two buildings in New York back on 9-11-01.

In other words, you're not thinking clearly.

It's not the Ravens' fault that their players get hurt in pre-season. You can suggest that they shouldn't be practicing or playing at all leading up to the start of the season. That's probably the only legitimate argument you can make and say, essentially, "This could have been avoided."

But the only way it gets avoided is if players don't practice or play, at all, in August. And that's just not a suitable way to prepare for a 17-week season.

Evan sent me the e-mail, but I saw plenty of people earlier this week offer the same basic opinion.

"When are the Ravens going to stop having players get hurt in pre-season?" someone asked on Twitter.

I looked at that one and laughed.

"When are the Ravens going to stop having players..." As if the Ravens are actually trying to decimate their roster a month before the season starts.

"Morning Coach, got a minute? I'm thinking today we should see if we can injure Marlon and maybe Ronnie Stanley. We should probably also consider having Gus Edwards get hurt as well. What do you think?"

I know this might be hard, but let's band together and do this during the upcoming football season: No over-the-top dumb takes.

Deal?

You're welcome to a hot take or two along the way.

"Ravens would have been better off drafting a QB last April" is sure to be bandied about if Lamar doesn't play like Joe Montana in the first two weeks of the season.

"It's time for Harbaugh to go," will be a popular topic as well if the Ravens don't go 13-4 and advance to the AFC title game.

But those are reasonable topics to discuss. I don't agree with either of those statements, but I get the sentiment at least.

Saying that the Ravens training staff is negligent and that's why players get hurt in pre-season is not a "hot take". It's a dumb one.

Let's swear off dumb takes in 2023.

Who's in?

He might only be hitting .242, but Gunnar Henderson is going to win the A.L. Rookie of the Year award unless something really dramatic changes in the next five weeks.

It took a while, but Henderson is now displaying why many people think it's him, not Adley Rutschman, that the O's have to start planning for money-wise.

Henderson is going to be a viable league MVP candidate in a couple of years. Watch and see.

His rookie campaign hasn't been out-of-this-world great. There's no getting around the batting average. But most of that .242 was brought down by a horrendous first six weeks at the plate.

Everything else, though, is in good working order. He hit his 20th homer of the season on Friday in Oakland and his other standard numbers (.326 OBP, .462 SLG) are fine. And as the average increases, so too will the on base percentage, one would think.

There's no sense in comparing him to anyone else that's played for the Orioles. Not yet, anyway. But it's very fair to say this: There hasn't been a homegrown Oriole with that kid's skillset in a long, long, long time.

And we haven't even talked about his defense yet, which looks as reliable as a 10th year big leaguer.

Henderson is more than the "real deal".

He's a franchise player in the making.

Maybe he's not Mike Trout. OK, fair enough.

But he's a Freddie Freeman. Or Mookie Betts. Or Paul Goldschmidt.

There's no telling what his limits are and there's no way of knowing where the Orioles are going with Henderson and the other rookies who are starting to break into the daily lineup.

This is, for sure, a sight to behold every night, watching the likes of Henderson, Rutschman, Westburg, G-Rod, etc. And to think there are others still in the minors who are projected to be every day rock stars.

But the leader of that pack, for now at least, is Gunnar Henderson.

The O's better start raising prices on everything and storing away a lot of money for a rainy day.

Because it might take three Brinks trucks to pay that young man in a few years.

And unlike Manny...

The O's are going to want to keep Gunnar Henderson around for the long haul.

	RANDY MORGAN on American soccer
Americans are playing more and more of a vital role in international soccer these days, and Randy Morgan has his eyes on all of them for #DMD. Each week here, he looks at recent performances of American players and highlights upcoming games of importance.

italian serie a preview

Reigning Champs: Napoli

Promoted Teams: Frosinone, Genoa, Cagliari

TV/Streaming: Paramount+/CBS/CBSSports

This is poised to be the most competitive title race of all the big European leagues. After many years of dominance by Juventus, Serie A now has a relatively wide open competition with the top four on near equal footing.

The league sent two teams to the Champions League semifinals last season, with Inter Milan producing a representative effort against Manchester City in the final. This summer the league’s American presence increased dramatically with the addition of several USMNT stars.

Americans to Watch:

While Serie A doesn’t have quite the depth of US talent as the Bundesliga or the Premier League, it makes up for that with quality. Over the summer, both Christian Pulisic and Yunus Musah joined AC Milan. Meanwhile, Tim Weah moved from Lille to Juventus, to partner with USMNT teammate Weston McKennie.

These all look to be positive moves for the USMNT starters. Pulisic has finally extricated himself from the trash fire that is Chelsea. After constant turmoil and coaching turnover for the past few years, he finds himself at a club that went to the Champions League semifinals last year and won Serie A just two years ago.

He should slot into the starting lineup for Milan, likely on the right wing opposite star left winger Raphael Leao. However he could see time on the left as well, with rotation being necessary for a team competing in Champions League, Serie A and the Italian Cup.

Yunus Musah is one of several options brought in to fill the void left by star midfielder Sandro Tonali, who made a big money move to Newcastle United in the Premier League. He will be competing for time with players like Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ismael Bennacer, and Tijani Reijnders.

While he will have work to do to get into the lineup, the situation is much better at Milan than it was last season for a bottom feeding Valencia team. He will be surrounded by more talented teammates and a more cohesive team and organization.

Over at Juventus, Tim Weah appears to have a defined role, being brought in to take over the right wingback spot that Juan Cuadrado has been proficient at in the past few years. Weah shifted between winger and fullback at Lille last season, so he is well suited for the role. His excellent crossing should be an asset for Juventus from the right wing.

Rumors swirled all offseason that Weston McKennie would not be back at Juventus. He was loaned out to Leeds for the second half of last season, but that did not work out as they failed to avoid relegation.

The thought was that he was no longer part of the plans at Juventus after the loan, but whether due to a lack of suitors or some impressive preseason performances, McKennie appears to be back in the plans. He and Weah will try to propel Juventus back into the title race after several years on the fringes.

Title Contenders:

Inter Milan (+190)

Players In: Yan Sommer, Marcus Thuram, Juan Cuadrado, Davide Frattesi

Players Out: Andre Onana, Marcelo Brozovic, Milan Skriniar, Romelu Lukaku (?)

Outlook:

Inter finished third last season, just behind second place Lazio but well behind runaway champions Napoli. However, they definitely shifted their focus to the Champions League down the stretch, with Serie A out of reach, and nearly escaped with an upset win over Manchester City in the final.

They return the majority of their team from last year, though they did lose both Edin Dzeko and Romelu Lukaku from their attack. The hope will be that new signing Marcus Thuram can help fill that void while partnering with Lautaro Martinez. They enter the season as the slight favorites to take home the title, with some regression expected from Napoli with a couple of key players leaving.

Napoli (+275)

Players In: Jens Cajuste, Natan

Players Out: Min-jae Kim, Tanguy Ndombele

Outlook:

Napoli had a dream season last year, winning the Serie A title by an incredible sixteen points and only being derailed in the Champions League by fellow Italian rival, AC Milan. It will be a difficult effort to reproduce, especially with head coach Luciano Spalleti leaving due to a contract dispute (or potentially to coach the Italian national team).

Frenchmen Rudi Garcia has been brought in to replace him, but will need to do so without top centerback, Min-jae Kim, who left for Bayern Munich over the summer.

The good news for Napoli is they managed to retain at least two of their breakout stars from last season. While the transfer window doesn’t officially close until September 1st, it appears striker Victor Osimhen and winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia will be back to lead the team, at least for the first half of the season.

Midfield engine Piotr Zielinski is also back, though there are loud rumors he could be tempted to head for the money in Saudi Arabia.

This is still a very strong team, but the uncertainty of the new coach and the potential departure of several other top stars have pushed Napoli behind Inter as the favorites to win the league.

Juventus (+350)

Players In: Tim Weah

Players Out: Angel Di Maria, Leandro Paredes

Outlook:

It was a strange season for Juventus last year. After a points deduction due to financial indiscretions seemed to derail their season, the storied club played some of the best soccer in the league down the stretch to nearly earn their way back into the Champions League.

They ultimately fell short, though the lack of European competition for Juventus could give them a leg up in the competition for the Serie A title. The 36-time champions will be able to focus all their resources on recapturing the league title.

AC Milan (+500)

Players In: Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, Samuel Chukwueze, Tijjani Reijnders, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Noah Okafor

Players Out: Sandro Tonali, Ante Rebic, Brahim Diaz

Outlook:

AC Milan has the most enticing odds of the realistic competitors in Italy. The team that won the league two years ago and made a semifinal run in last year’s Champions League have only the fourth best odds to win Serie A. Milan managed to retain their top two stars despite heavy interest in Raphael Leao and Theo Hernandez.

They did lose midfield engine Sandro Tonali, but have acquired several options to replace him. In addition they have fortified their attack with dynamic talents in Christian Pulisic, Samuel Chukwueze and Noah Okafor. There is no reason they shouldn’t be competing for the title until the end of the season.

Roma (+1000)

Players In: Leandro Paredes, Evan Ndicka, Houssem Aouar, Rasmus Kristensen

Players Out: Roger Ibanez, Justin Kluivert

Outlook:

Roma is the longshot among the true title challengers in Serie A after finishing in sixth place last year. Nevertheless, with a venerated coach like Jose Mourinho and a well drilled core returning, they can’t be completely counted out. They will look to new addition Houssem Aouar along with Paulo Dybala, to lead the attack and push them to the top of the table.

Saturday August 19, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3280

ravens aren't clowning around

It took a while, but Jadaveon Clowney is now a member of the Ravens.

Sure, he's Jadaveon in the November-of-his-career, not a 1st round draft pick ready to tear the league apart. He's 30 now. And the tread on his tires is wearing down with each passing season.

But this was a measured move by Eric DeCosta and the Ravens and it's probably fair to say their expectations for him are different than what you'd find on the back of his bubble gum card.

Clowney is not the pass rush demon most folks assume he might be given where he'll play and what he's done throughout his career. This isn't meant to say Clowney won't snag the quarterback if given the chance, but these days he's going to do more to solidify the Baltimore run defense than anything else.

DeCosta assumes the pass rush issues are going to be solved this year with Oweh and Ojabo. What he wants from Clowney is someone to help button down the outside and keep teams from running the ball on the Ravens. Clowney can chase the quarterback and the running back with equal parts of enthusiasm. In that regard, he's a nice pick up for Baltimore.

There are questions, of course, and those are natural anytime you have a 30-year old playing for his 5th team overall and 4th club in the last five years. Clowney was traded by the Texans to Seattle in 2019, moved on to the Tennessee Titans for the 2020 season, then spent two mostly-disgruntled campaigns in Cleveland.

Red flag? Maybe. He got mouthy about the Browns (in fairness, it was probably justified) and was eventually sent home last January prior to the last regular season home game. The Browns had enough of him, apparently.

In Baltimore, though, it's a fresh start for the former #1 draft pick out of the University of South Carolina. He's coming to a franchise that knows how to win (Cleveland doesn't), has won before (Cleveland hasn't) and is a favorite of many to play in the AFC Championship Game next January (Cleveland isn't).

The tape will show everything, just like it showed Ngakoue and Pierre-Paul were grifters in their respective single seasons in Baltimore. If Clowney comes to town and gives 110% and the Ravens get real value from him, he could find a nice landing spot for the last few years of his career.

But if he shows up in Baltimore with the idea of just collecting a check, he'll be one-and-done like those two were.

The onus is on him to prove he's not just another Ngakoue or Pierre-Paul. We all assumed the Ravens were going to benefit from both of those guys and, well, it didn't quite work out that way.

They were players-without-benefits, mostly. Two players who thought their reputation was worth a paycheck, in other words.

If Clowney fills his role responsibly, this could wind up being a sneaky-good signing by DeCosta. We'll know in four months or so if the Baltimore GM pulled another August rabbit out of his hat.

One thing for sure. Clowney is better off now than he was this time last year in Cleveland.

And the Ravens are likely better off heading into 2023 than they were heading into 2022.

All things being equal, John Harbaugh's team got a nice upgrade on Friday.

36 holes of golf to make the Ryder Cup team? That's pretty much what faces five players over the next two days at Olympia Fields in Chicago. Two days to stay within the top 30 and make the Tour Championship in Atlanta.

Two more rounds to stay relevant and show team captain Zach Johnson that they can get the job done under the gun.

The tournament in Chicago is led at the halfway point by Max Homa at 10-under par. With a win, Homa will earn enough points to secure one of the six automatic spots on the U.S. team heading to Rome next month. If he doesn't win, Homa's still on the team. But a victory in Chicago will remove him from the captain's pick list, if nothing else.

Rickie Fowler is 36 holes from sewing up his spot on the team. He can't move into the top 6 with a win, but a win and a few other things happening for him (Homa and Schauffele both dropping out of the top 5 would help) would secure his spot in the top 6, believe it or not. That said, two more good rounds from Fowler (currently 5-under) will likely be enough for Johnson to give him the phone call he's been waiting for.

Collin Morikawa (-3) is hanging in there nicely and seems to have secured a spot in next week's Tour Championship. That will help him, points wise, and also show Johnson that his season-long on-again, off-again play might be a thing of the past.

Cameron Young (-2) and Denny McCarthy (-2) are both in "last ditch" moments this weekend. As it stands now, both are outside of the Top 30 and won't play at East Lake next weekend unless they move up the leaderboard over the final two rounds in Chicago.

McCarthy's percentages of being added to the team as a captain's pick are at 12% according to Golf.com. Young, though, is at 42%, which means he's clearly "on the bubble" to be selected by Johnson for the trip to Rome. But finishing outside of the Top 30 after this weekend would, according to Golf.com, drop Young's chances down to 28%.

Keegan Bradley (-1) is doing everything he can to secure Johnson's confidence. Unless something really weird happens, he's going to finish inside the Top 30 this weekend and play the Tour Championship. If Johnson wasn't already going to pick Bradley, it's likely he will now.

Three players making final appeals to Johnson through their golf have work to do over the last two rounds. Tony Finau, Kurt Kitayama and J.T. Poston all need big weekends, although Finau is pretty much already a lock to play next week in Atlanta.

Poston is becoming an increasingly interesting candidate for one of Johnson's last captain's picks, particularly if Justin Thomas is not going to be added. While he hasn't won in the last eight weeks, Poston's numbers are off the charts good in terms of ball striking, shots gained and putting.

A rumor in the golf world last week had Poston and Johnson "meeting for coffee" in Memphis. We'll see how that develops after this weekend.

Two more days of golf in Chicago will smooth out the Ryder Cup picture for Zach Johnson.

	RANDY MORGAN on American soccer
Americans are playing more and more of a vital role in international soccer these days, and Randy Morgan has his eyes on all of them for #DMD. Each week here, he looks at recent performances of American players and highlights upcoming games of importance.

german bundesliga preview

This weekend brings the start of the two “big five” European leagues yet to begin, and they are the two with the largest contingent of American players.

The German Bundesliga has become a hub for young Americans in recent years and that trend continues this season with eight players in the top German division. Over the summer, Italy’s Serie A became another hot spot for American talent, with several key starters for the USMNT moving to top Italian teams.

Today we’ll take a look at the Americans in each league as well as the top contenders for the league titles. The race in Germany tends to be one-sided, with Bayern Munich winning the last eleven titles in a row, and nothing looks to change this season.

Meanwhile, Serie A boasts the most competitive title race in all of Europe, with at least four or five teams having legitimate hopes to raise the trophy.

German Bundesliga –

Reigning Champs: Bayern Munich (eleven in a row)

Promoted Teams: FC Heidenheim, SV Darmstadt

TV/Streaming: ESPN/ESPN+

Americans to Watch:

Ever since the breakthrough of Christian Pulisic at Borussia Dortmund, the German Bundesliga has been a proving ground for young American talent in Europe. This year will be no different, with several bright American prospects looking to break through at German clubs and kick start their European careers.

The player that may have the most at stake this season is mercurial talent Gio Reyna. The 20 year old attacker is one of the most heralded young talents in Europe, but he has yet to fulfill his potential because he’s been plagued by injuries.

This season is already off to a poor start from that perspective. Reyna was injured by a dirty tackle against Canada when the US beat them in the Nations League final and is set to miss the opening game while still recovering.

This will be a pivotal season for Reyna, as Borussia Dortmund has seen several other key players exit this offseason and need him to step up and assume a larger role. From a personal standpoint, Reyna is getting to an age where he needs to perform and put up numbers to match his talent if he wants to keep progressing and earn a big contract or a move to a bigger club.

Another crucial USMNT attacker moved to Germany this offseason and needs a strong season to prove he can hang at the top level of club soccer. Brenden Aaronson got off to a positive start after his dream move to the Premier League and Leeds United last year, but he faded as the season went on and Leeds were ultimately relegated.

Aaronson found a great landing spot at Union Berlin, who finished fourth in the Bundesliga last season, securing a spot in this season’s Champions League along the way.

Aaronson will need to compete for minutes in Union’s attacking line, but there should be plenty to go around with competition in the Bundesliga, German Cup and Champions League. He may find that Germany is more suitable to his talents, with a faster paced up-and-down style that could play into Aaronson’s athleticism and tenacity. Union should not be outmatched by their opponents as often as Leeds was last year, which should help him garner better offensive statistics.

Playing alongside Aaronson at Union will be American striker option, Jordan Pefok. The DC native got off to a good start in his first season for Union last year, but then went quiet and ended the season on a long scoring drought. He has lost his starting job and will need to battle to prove himself once again.

Brenden Aaronson was actually preceded by his younger brother in the Bundesliga. 19 year old Paxten Aaronson transferred from the Philadelphia Union last season to Eintracht Frankfurt. Paxten had some impressive substitute appearances late in the season for Frankfurt and will look to build on that to gain a more prominent role this year. A breakthrough at Frankfurt could propel him up the depth chart for the USMNT and he will likely be a key player for the US in the 2024 summer Olympics.

Another Olympic team prospect, Kevin Paredes, similarly started earning more playing time for his club, Wolfsburg, down the stretch last season. He was a regular second half substitute at both left back and winger for Wolfsburg toward the end of last season and is another young prospect with a chance for an enormous breakout this year.

Gio Reyna’s former youth club teammate in New York, Joe Scally, is another young player to watch in Germany. Scally is virtually a seasoned vet in the Bundesliga at just 20 years old after playing nearly every game for Borussia Monchengladbach. He should be in line for a large share of minutes this season, with one of Gladbach’s top fullbacks shipped off to Dortmund in the offseason and another out for the early part of the season. Scally looks to be the starting right back to begin the season.

It's not only young American talents in the Bundesliga. Veteran center back John Brooks is another USMNT hopeful looking to improve his standing. Brooks is trying to re-establish his value in both his club career and national team career after a failed move to Benfica last season. He returned to the Bundesliga at Hoffenheim and had a positive close to the campaign. With Gregg Berhalter reinstated as the USMNT manager, the likelihood of Brooks returning to that team anytime soon seems remote. However, if Tim Ream declines with age or gets injured again, Brooks could be an option, providing the most similar skill set.

Two others to watch in Germany are unheralded defensive midfielder Lennard Maloney, who came up from the second division with promoted side FC Heidenheim and the coach of Hoffenheim, Pelligrino Matarazzo. Matarazzo has been in charge of several Bundesliga teams in the past and helped Hoffenheim avoid relegation last year. He represents the only American coach in any of the top European leagues this season.

Title Contenders:

Bayern Munich (-450)

Players In: Harry Kane, Min-jae Kim, Raphael Guerreiro, Konrad Laimer

Players Out: Marcel Sabitzer, Lucas Hernandez, Joao Cancelo, Sadio Mane, Yann Sommer

Outlook:

After just barely eclipsing Dortmund last season for their eleventh straight title, all Bayern did was add one of the best strikers in the world and steal one of the key players from their top rivals.

The arrival of Harry Kane from Tottenham solves the biggest issue that held them back last season. With Kane at the point of the attack, Bayern should once again be one of the top contenders for the Champions League and the runaway favorites for their twelfth straight Bundesliga title. In addition to Kane, Bayern swiped Raphael Guerreiro from Dortmund and Konrad Laimer from RB Leipzig, bolstering their depth while weakening their top two competitors.

Borussia Dortmund (+600)

Players In: Felix Nmecha, Marcel Sabitzer, Ramy Bensebaini

Players Out: Jude Bellingham, Raphael Guerreiro, Mahmoud Dahoud

Outlook:

Dortmund saw two of their best players head out the door this summer without adequate replacements. The club is known for their ability to find economical talents and develop them into key contributors. That will be a necessity this season, with Felix Nmecha brought in to soften the blow of losing star midfielder Jude Bellingham. They will need players like Reyna, Youssoufa Moukoko, Karim Adeyemi and Donyell Malen to take the next step. After a year where nearly everything fell in place for them to steal the title from Bayern, it will take a monumental effort to push the perennial champions once again.

RB Leipzig (+1200)

Players In: Lois Openda, Castello Lukeba, Benjamin Sesko, Christoph Baumgartner, Nicolas Seiwald, Xavi Simons, Fabio Carvalho

Players Out: Christopher Nkunku, Josko Gvardiol, Dominik Szoboszlai, Konrad Laimer, Andre Silva

Outlook:

Leipzig sold arguably their best three or four players in the offseason, with one of them going to reigning champions Bayern. Unlike Dortmund, Leipzig did reinvest their cash influx to re-stock, with a handful of solid additions. The question will be how quickly all the new pieces can come together to keep them in competition with Dortmund and Bayern. They did look impressive in their Super Cup win over Bayern last week, though that is little more than a glorified exhibition.

Tomorrow at #DMD we’ll preview the ‘23-24 Italian Serie A campaign.

Friday August 18, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3279

friday mailbag

So the O's move into Oakland tonight for a three-game weekend series and anything less than a trio of victories will almost be unacceptable.

Times have changed, huh?

The Birds have the 2nd most wins in all of baseball and the A's have the lowest win total (34) of all 30 teams.

Beating up on bottom feeders like Oakland is imperative for the O's if they want to continue to lead the American League East. Tampa Bay, reeling from the recent loss of Shane McClanahan and Wander Franco, enter the weekend trailing the Birds by two games. The Rays are in Los Angeles for a 3-game series with Shohei and the Angels.

After this weekend, the next 18 games will take the Birds past Labor Day and well into the final month of the regular season. They're likely going to tell the tape of their quest to win the American League East.

They're home for 9 straight games starting on Tuesday, starting off with a 3-game series with Toronto.

And that's followed by:

Colorado (3)

Chicago White Sox (3)

at Arizona (3)

at Los Angeles Angels (3)

at Boston (3)

It's not exactly murderer's row there, huh?

I know what you're thinking: It's time to feast.

Let's just get past these three games in Oakland without stepping on our -- ummmm -- shoe laces, and we'll go from there.

And now let's roll through a couple of mailbag questions that came in this week.

Dave P. asks -- "Hey Drew, I'm curious what you think about Brandel Chamblee's opinion that Phil Mickelson should be stripped of his golf Hall of Fame status because of the recent gambling allegations?"

DF says -- "This one's a slippery slope. First, let me offer a slight correction to your question. Chamblee says he'd remove Phil from the HOF because of the fact he spearheaded LIV Golf within the PGA Tour. That's different than gambling. But I do think there's at least a conversation that should be had about Phil's gambling and his status as a Hall of Famer.

Let's start with this and remember it: Phil has admitted to having a gambling problem. Now, the news that Billy Walters shared in his book? Some of those statements probably still fall under 'allegations', since Phil hasn't confirmed any of it.

I thought Phil's comment about the Ryder Cup betting story was right out of the Orioles handbook. 'I've never placed a bet on the Ryder Cup,' Phil said. That might be true. But it might also be true that he called Walters and asked him to place the $400,000 wager in 2012 and Walters told him he wouldn't do it.

But that's not really your question or your point. So here's the answer.

It's not all that different than the same answer in the Pete Rose situation.

If Mickelson placed bets on golf tournaments he was playing in and that can somehow be determined now, I think it would at least be a consideration to have him removed from the Hall of Fame. You can't do that on speculation or heresay, though. You would have to have some sort of rock-solid-proof that Phil gambled on either himself or others in actual tournaments for me to consider taking action on him (if I were involved in the decision making process).

It's interesting to note that rumors about Phil's shockingly poor play on the final hole at Winged Foot in 2006 have been floating around for a long, long time. Not just in the last 3 weeks.

Why I never bought that story was simple: If Phil was going to tank the final round in an effort to help pay off a large gambling debt, why would he have bothered to take the whole thing down to the 18th hole and traumatize himself with that disastrous finish?

I mean, I've never intentionally lost the U.S. Open to help square away a gambling debt, but if I were going to do that, wouldn't I just miss a bunch of 3 footers on the front nine, shoot 40, and just quietly slip off the leaderboard in that fashion?

So, I've never bought into the conspiracy theory associated with the 2006 U.S. Open. I probably would have been willing to buy stock in it had Phil posted a final round 80 and slapped it around like a 10-handicap. But you don't get yourself all the way to the finish line and then make the worst decision of your career and lose the tournament in that fashion.

All that said -- if it's somehow proved that Phil bet on or against himself in a golf tournament, I'm not sure how you keep him in the Hall of Fame.

This is not in any way to be compared with other Hall of Famers who have had off-course "issues" like Tiger, Vijay, or even Gary Player, who has endured three decades of rumors about a cheating incident at a British Open he won at Royal Lytham.

Tiger's problems were all of a "personal" nature and didn't impact the integrity of competition.

Singh's issues occurred before he formally joined the PGA Tour.

Player's "story" was never authenticated, despite lots of evidence pointing to the fact that Player played a wrong ball in the final round.

Mickelson's issues are golf-tournament related. And they involve the one topic that makes sports what they are: Is the competition on the up-and-up?

Chamblee feels strongly about LIV Golf and believes Mickelson should pay some kind of price for being the guy who rallied the troops on the PGA Tour and created a s**tstorm that is still being battled today.

I don't necessarily think Phil should be singled out like that, but I also think every guy who went to LIV and propped up that heinous government should be ashamed of themselves."

Walt asks -- "Drew, question for your Question and Answer feature at Drew's Morning Dish. Is it possible that Messi is going to put Major League Soccer on the sports map in America? And wouldn't that be a telling sign, that it took a foreigner to make soccer big in this country?"

DF says -- "Well, Major League Soccer is already "big time" in this country when it comes to soccer. Attendance numbers are great, the entry fee for expansion is gigantic and within the sport itself, players and teams are well known.

Will it ever be as big as hockey or basketball? Hard to say. Maybe not in my lifetime. But perhap's in the lifetime of my children it will part of the "Big 4".

But Messi's arrival does come at a great time for the sport given that the U.S. will host the bulk of the 2026 World Cup. I do think he could help generate big time sponsor dollars through his participation with Miami and MLS. He is, for lack of a better term, putting MLS "on the map" this summer.

Prior to his acqusition by MLS, I couldn't tell you the last time I saw MLS soccer on the front page of the ESPN website for a regular season game. I can recall at least four times in the last month where Miami/Messi/MLS have been the lede story there.

And if you think what you're watching is great, just keep in mind you're seeing Messi in the November of his career.

He's basically toying with MLS, which might say just as much about the league's overall quality of play as it does Messi's.

But one thing for sure: He's made a massive impact on the league and the sport in this country, which is why MLS was willing to fork over more than $300 million to have him involved.

I'm thrilled he's in the league, even if I don't follow it. If it's good for soccer in the U.S., Drew approves.

But soccer in this country -- going all the way back to when I was working with the Blast from 1981 through 1998 -- has always had a difficult time going from a participation sport to a spectator sport.

Over the last 30 years, MLS has done wonders to bridge that gap. And, again, within the world of soccer in this country, MLS is huge. It might not be huge to non-soccer people in the same way poker isn't huge to non-poker people. But within the world of poker, the World Series of Poker tournament is the biggest moment of the year."

I do think MLS has a chance to establish soccer as a viable spectator sport in this country and perhaps it's Messi who is the pioneer of that effort in a way that David Beckham and Wayne Rooney, to name two, couldn't do."

faith in sports

For today's edition of "Faith in Sports" we go to NBA TV broadcaster Ernie Johnson, who has shared his faith throughout his career and is one of TV's most well respected Christians.

This is only five minutes long, but well worth a small investment of your time today. I could watch Ernie Johnson all day.

Thanks, as always, to our friends at Freestate Electrical for their continued support of "Faith in Sports" every Friday here at #DMD.

Thursday August 17, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3278

ravens facing first obstacle of '23

A week or so ago here, I opined that one positional concern with the Ravens is in their defensive secondary.

It was, on the day of that writing, the team's weakest area in terms of overall quality and depth.

And that's with Marlon Humphrey healthy.

Marlon Humphrey, as it turns out, isn't healthy. And now the Ravens are facing their first real obstacle of the 2023 season.

The team announced on Wednesday that Humphrey is undergoing foot surgery (yesterday) and will likely miss at least one month of action. The exact injury hasn't been disclosed so it's a little difficult to pinpoint exactly how long the former first round pick will be sidelined, but it's feeling more and more likely that he'll miss the team's first four games.

If the club had organizational depth at the cornerback position, this wouldn't be a massive area of concern.

But there is no cornerback depth in Baltimore, at least not of the veteran kind.

It's Humphrey, free agent newcomer Rock Ya-Sin (who is also battling training camp injuries) and..........

That's it. Humphrey and Ya-Sin are really the only two guys back there who know what they're doing. And that's making for a scary first month for John Harbaugh's team if Humphrey does indeed miss the expected 4-6 weeks of action due to the injury.

The Ravens should be able to beat Houston in the season opener on September 10, Humphrey or not. They're the Texans, after all. They're not coming to Baltimore and winning on opening Sunday, Humphrey or not.

It gets a little more dicey the following week, though. OK, who are we kidding? It gets a lot more dicey the following week when the Ravens travel to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals.

With Humphrey in the lineup, the Ravens would still be underdogs to Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase. Without Humphrey back there, the Ravens are starting the season 1-1.

The Colts come to town in week 3 and, much like the Texans, probably can't beat the Ravens in Baltimore even if Humphrey can't go.

But then it's a visit to Cleveland in week 4, another division game that looms extra-large without Humphrey back there in the secondary.

Oh, and we're buying into the team's announcement that Humphrey's injury isn't "a long term deal". The Ravens, over the years, haven't always been either honest or accurate with some of their major injury assessments. If Humphrey misses one month, that's not really a big deal. If he misses two months, though, it's a much bigger issue.

This is where Eric DeCosta now earns his paycheck. The Ravens will no doubt seek to bring in some secondary help this week and I'm sure the general manager will be keeping a close eye on the waiver wire in the event someone jettisons a veteran cornerback.

It wouldn't be out of the question for DeCosta to pull off a training camp trade, either, perhaps sending a '24 draft pick in exchange for a veteran before he gets cut and exposed to the entire league.

Jalyn Armour-Davis, Kyu Kelly and Arthur Maulet will now get the opportunity to step in and earn more playing time in Baltimore, along with Kevon Seymour, who was already sliding full-time into Ya-Sin's spot.

If you're nervous about reading those names above, imagine what Joe Burrow will be thinking on September 17.

You're thinking "we're in trouble" and he's thinking "what's the franchise record for passing yards in a half?

But DeCosta will work some August magic, one would think, and the Ravens will have some secondary help in Owings Mills by this time next week, if not sooner. Ya'Sin's return from his injury will help, too, although there's been no timetable announced there, either.

This is football. Injuries happen. And the Ravens were never going through a 5-month season (including training camp) without a knock or two to some of their better players.

It just happens that the one position they could least afford to face the injury bug was at cornerback. And now, both of their top guys are out.

If Humphrey's foot surgery goes well and he's back in a month, it's probably not a huge thing.

But if he's not......the Ravens are going to need some major help in their defensive backfield or things could get ugly.

The second week of the FedEx Cup playoffs begin today at Olympia Fields in Chicago and the TOUR has come up with some crafty math to update all of us on the Ryder Cup and potential "automatic" spots on the team.

Are you ready for this?

If Kurt Kitayama wins this week in Chicago, he'd move into the top 6 and be -- for the time being -- one of the top 6 who make the team on points alone.

Yes, Kurt Kitayama.

The same fate applies to Denny McCarthy and Lucas Glover. If either of those guys win at Olympia Fields, they're in the top 6 with one week remaining in the season.

The PGA of America announced yesterday that Patrick Cantlay has now secured one of those coveted six automatic spots and is on the team that will travel to Rome late next month for the Ryder Cup.

That's 3 of the 6 spots gone. Here's how everyone else except Brooks Koepka (a LIV player no longer able to secure Ryder Cup points) can snag one of the remaining three spots this week.

Xander Schauffele is in the best position of everyone. He needs a T43 or better (out of 50 players) at Olympia Fields and he'll be in.

After that, everyone else needs a Top 5 finish or better.

Jordan Spieth: T4

Cameron Young: T3

Collin Morikaway: T2

Keegan Bradley: T2

Sam Burns: Solo 2nd

Rickie Fowler: Solo 2nd

And here's a nugget that's been disclosed that also will make things very interesting for team captain Zach Johnson.

If two of these things happen below this week, Brooks Koepka would be knocked out of the top 6 and would require a captain's pick by Johnson to make the team. Koepka, of course, jumped to LIV last year and the rumors have persisted since that Johnson would be hesitant to use a captain's pick on a LIV member.

If any of these two scenarios happen, Koepka would be out of the top 6:

Max Homa: T9

Xander Schauffele: Solo 9th

Jordan Spieth: Solo 3rd

Cameron Young: T2

Collin Morikawa: Solo 2nd

Keegan Bradley: Solo 2nd

Wins by any of these players: Burns, Fowler, McCarthy, Kitayama and Glover.

Looks like Koepka better be ready to send a few nice texts to Zach Johnson sometime Sunday evening.

#dmd comments

John S. Cobb     September 30

Time for Zack Johnson to announce that we will be picking our team for Bethpage from the US, Canadian, Central American and South American tours. That's the Ryder Cup way when you get your butts handed to you for 30 years - you greatly expand the pool you pick from so you have a chance to win. You admit you're not good enough like GB&I did. 1993 was a long time ago.

John S. Cobb     September 30

Time for Zack Johnson to announce that we will be picking our team for Bethpage from the US, Canadian, Central American and South American tours. That's the Ryder Cup way when you get your butts handed to you for 30 years - you greatly expand the pool you pick from so you have a chance to win. You admit you're not good enough like GB&I did. 1993 was a long time ago.

Shaun     September 30

How did Zach Johnson even get picked to be captain? Hopefully he’s never even considered again. Hello Rickie’s on the team. Slapnut

David Rosenfeld     September 30

A long time ago, Rory got pilloried for saying that the Ryder Cup was "an exhibition." Of course he long ago "apologized" for saying that, the world being what it is these days. But that doesn't mean it isn't true. It is an exhibition...just one that the European team cares about more than the guys from the USA. I think American players mean it when they say their goal is to make the Ryder Cup team. It is an honor, and it's generally a reward for the consistently good-to-great play that all players wish they could display. I just don't think the matches themselves--like DF says--bring out any great emotion in them. People like to to joke how every sports team in America says "it's us against the world," but the U.S. Ryder Cup team doesn't feel that way. It seems to me that might be needed, especially in a match in Italy or France or England. As for the players themselves, Hovland/Rahm/McIlroy/Fitzpatrick, etc.., the Euros have a better team this year.

Josh     September 30

Z Johnson was always going to be a losing captain. Saying things like “it’s their team”(the players). Nah Bruh, it’s your team. You make the picks and be a leader.

Garry     September 30

The joint Angelos-Moore “lease agreement” announcement is the norm for those in power these days. Lies are totally acceptable if it furthers your cause. Very sad. As Orwell wrote in his book 1984: “And if all others accepted the lie which the Party imposed—if all records told the same tale—then the lie passed into history and became truth.” There’s little or no repercussion for Angelos and Moore so they casually lied to get the loud ovation they wanted from the crowd.

Unitastoberry     September 29

I worked for a business 43 years with a "non-binding memorandum of understanding" through 2 owners. In the end I got the shaft. But SUCH is life. Sign the lease sell the team.

willy     September 29

Keith must be on crack. DMD called a victory from Europe but also said "it should be close". But you go girl.

Chris in Bel Air     September 29

So what was the purpose of having those two goofs on the big screen last night at the game? What exactly were we applauding? @Such- Thank you for continuing to vent for all of us.

Keith     September 29

Another good call from DF. He said US Ryder Cup was gonna get crushed and they are. Sad to watch. Totally overwhelmed today.

Such     September 29

UPDATE: After eading this morning's news, I called my mortgage company and expressed my desire to refinance with a "non-binding memorandum of understanding". They hung up on me. So I went to my bank and told them I would like to change the terms of my truck loan to a "non-binding memorandum of understanding" and they told me to leave! The nerve! I've been giving them my business for 30 years! I did, however, convince my dog that his feeding is contingent upon our "non-binding memorandum of understanding." He even gave me his paw and we shook on it. Which just proves again that dogs are better than most people, especially mortgage lenders, bankers, and lawyers. Especially lawyers. God, we live in the dumbest timeline. Looks like it's back to Square One. SIGN THE LEASE SELL THE TEAM

dan     September 29

so that whole signed lease thing was a bit of a sham. just a “non-binding memorandum of understanding”. just when you think it can't get any dumber.

Jason M     September 29

It's just surreal, Division Champs of the best division in baseball! This team goes down in the books with the best I have ever gotten to watch, much better than the 2014 edition that last won the East. Top to bottom, rested, I don't think any one wants to see us coming. Congrats to Elias and Hyde, and this young group that has completely turned around around a culture of losing, the most difficult thing in sports. Quite a juicy nugget DF squeezes in about Wes Moore and working timing of the announcement for maximum impact to the Governor and bud of JA. I am surprised we haven't seen footage of Moore taking a champagne shower in the locker room yet, only kidding a little. I thought it looked a touch staged, but I do think Moore is a real O's fan and a fan of the city, and to be honest I hope a lot of people are ready to jump on the bandwagon for the Orioles and the city of Baltimore. I have a feeling we are in for a hell of a ride. When was the last time we hosted a playoff baseball game and a concert like Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks on the same day?

Jeffwell     September 29

Go Orioles Go! I gotta say that I loved this line from todays column: "Someone call Nashville and tell them to, I don't know, maybe build a museum or something." Every time I hear Tagliabue or see his ugly face on TV, I'm reminded of that smug remark. But enough about him. Lets go Orioles!!

Such     September 29

I'm not going to throw any bouquets at the feet of The Failson for finally signing the lease. Congratulations. What took your neighbors about 5 minutes to sign took you another 9 months. I guess it was worth it for keeping your name in the headlines. Probably made you feel all important and stuff. One down, one to go. Sell the team. Onto more important matters regarding the actual team. I've been fortunate enough to be in attendance the last 2 nights. I think we're seeing the postseason bullpen plans take shape. I find it interesting that Hyde went to Wells to close both games. He used Coulombe, Hall, and Perez, then Cano. I have to believe the formula for closing will be dictated by matchups. As much as we all hope that Bautista could somehow pitch, I think the contingency plan looks good. Mateo hit the ball hard several times the last few nights. Here's hoping he can find his stroke just in time for October. I had to do some deep digging on this, and it appears that Brandon Hyde has now joined these men as managers who lost 100 games in a season and won 100 games in a season: Connie Mack, Casey Stengel, and Sparky Anderson. All 3 are enshrined in Cooperstown. Just sayin' My buddy and I were talking on the drive home last night about all the awards this team is going to collect: Hyde is Manager of the Year, Gunnar is Rookie of the Year, O'Hearn is Comeback Player of the Year, and Elias has to be Executive of the Year. I'd also add that I believe Bradish should get serious Cy Young consideration. It was really special to be there last night and see that celebration in person. 100 wins! For the first time in 43 years! What a team. What a season. I can't wait for next Saturday.

Kyle P     September 29

DF up at 3:30 AM tweeting about the Ryder Cup shows the man is dedicated to his passion! I was up getting ready for a flight to Dallas and saw his tweets and thought to myself "That man loves golf!" U.S.A. already in trouble though.

TimD in Timonium     September 29

"At Thursday night's game, the team announced that the Orioles, the state of Maryland, Gov. Wes Moore and the Maryland Stadium Authority have agreed to a deal that will keep the team in Baltimore at Oriole Park at Camden Yards for the next 30 years." Good. Surprised. Now we can focus on enjoying the 100-win, AL Champion Baltimore Orioles in the post-season. Whew.

GM     September 29

What's in the water at Top Hat? Bet it all Paul now 4-0 on Thursday night NFL.

Billy     September 28

"For some reason" lol. Site owner forgot!

J.C.     September 28

@MFC, Bet It all Paul took the Lions -1.5. It's in the golf story for some reason.

Steve of Pimlico     September 28

Ain't the beer cold

Jeffrey “Fireball” Roberts     September 28

Breathe easy Such !

sammy     September 28

Congrats to SUCH, he finally wore down the idiot Failson and a lease has been signed! So they say lol.

Howard     September 28

I call BS. NO WAY would any Orthopedist recommend that Bautista can pitch with a grade 1 injury of his UCL because if it completely tears he would need surgery anyway. Lower grade injuries usually do not require surgery. Treatment is usually rest and anti inflammatory medication followed by rehab. Higher grade injuries usually require surgery. Where did that ridiculous idea come from?

MFC     September 28

It's Thursday has BIAP made a pick tonight or have I missed it. (I've been out of the state).

Chris in Bel Air     September 28

@KJ - I agree and I'll admit in the offseason I was somewhat disappointed the O's didn't sign someone like Wacha or Eovaldi and went with Gibson. Turns out the staff was more than fine, especially with Grayson bursting on to the scene in the 2nd half. So what do I know? Reminded every day, not much lol.

kj     September 28

@Chris I've read some articles about the failures of the big money teams. To me it's a relatively common thing, yet every year fans clamor for O's to "go spend money" and show "they are committed to winning". And then cry when the O's don't do it. They will need to spend more, Elias knows that, and the hope is the idiot Failson knows this too. But I hope they spend it internally. I know the Davis thing blew up on them but that was a desperation play more than a wise investment. And Manny was a guy you DON'T want to spend money on - ask Padres how he has helped them. Develop kids, when you get elite ones like Gunnar and Adley, there's who to spend the big bucks. Everyone wants them to buy a "true #1" but I think that has high failure rate too. They have more hitters than putchers right now, but pitchers are coming.

Hampstead Robert     September 28

Good-bye Brooks; thanks for many fond memories :( His "shuffling off this mortal coil", causes my mind to happily recall the days of his era in the 60s-70s, when very talented athletes silently "walked" by letting their on-the-field play do the "talking", foregoing popping off publicly, e.g. X/Twitter, by bragging of their intelligence, prescience & virtue. Although far from perfect Utopia, they were, in a myriad of ways, the good old days.

bp     September 28

Every day is "I told You So" day at DMD lol!

Chris in Bel Air     September 28

Just a short time ago, mired in another 100 loss season, we as O's fans asked for something fairly simple. A team that is relevant in the playoff race and playing for something meaningful in late September. Well, here we are and what an opportunity before them. Adding to the excitement is the fact that the organization is relevant both the talent at the MLB level and also with their minor league teams. The O's organization is absolutely poised for more relevant September and October baseball even after this season. What a turn around and I can't wait for tonight. While I try and tame my excitement for tonight's game, I'll point to a headline from ESPN on some other teams... "$880 million, zero playoff games: Why the Mets, Yankees and Padres became 2023's big-money disappointments". What a case study in how just spending money does not always equal success on the field. It clearly takes some young talent and certainly, some good fortune. Speaking of young talent - Gunnar. On May 12, he was hitting .170 with 3 HR and 7 RBI. Given that kind of start to the season, we were all wondering if he was going to be sent back to the minors. Since then, he has hit .280 with 25 HR and 75 RBI all while playing sensational defense at SS and 3B and giving an all out, dirty uniform effort, each night. What a season.

NICK IN PA     September 28

@ALLAN - Seconded. From Sammy: “I believe their thinking. . .” “Seems risky to me . . . “ “I mean I get . . . “ Guy was just expressing nuanced thoughts and opinions in a non-bombastic or confrontational manner, yet some folks just can’t wait to pounce and start a heated exchange. Isn’t the purpose of this site civil discourse? I think it also goes without saying that Sammy at no time asserted that he knew more than Orioles personnel. We’ve been here almost two days extolling the gentlemanly qualities of Brooks, yet some of us can’t seem to embrace or model that behavior. Sad.

Delray RICK     September 28

DREW...I DOUBTED YOU...YOU WHERE RIGHT...CONGRATULATIONS!!-!!

allan     September 27

Having a nice day here in the comments section until this clown @Greg shows up to object to someone having an opinion. Sammy must have stolen his girlfriend, or maybe beaten him in golf from the blue tees.

Paul from Towson     September 27

Brooks Robinson is probably the one person I’ve never met who had the greatest impact on me. I’m one and raised in East Bawlmer and an O’s fan for almost 50 years. Brooks was my dad’s baseball idol. My hero’s hero. Brooks was a topic in almost every baseball conversation I ever had with my dad. I grew up a few minutes from Memorial Stadium and spent 30-40 days and nights a year there until the O’s moved downtown. I was working with the NYPD in NYC last night trying (and succeeding) to get a bad guy when my dad texted me about Brooks’ passing. We all stopped for a moment, Yankee fans included, to pay a moment of respect to the Greatest Oriole. I’m not a religious guy but I have to believe that there is a Heaven and it exists for human beings like Mr. Robinson. May God bless him and his wonderful family.

Greg     September 27

All the sudden @Sammy knows more than the Orioles and their doctors. Got it.

sammy     September 27

Don't want to distract from Brooks stories, keep them coming, but there is no such thing as "healthy and available" Bautista in 2023. He's hurt and I believe their thinking is blowing out the UCL completely is no different than his likely partial tear now, and I'm guessing Bautista had been told he's getting surgery either way, and we "assume" he's been told a complete tear won't make it worse. So best case is they might get a few key innings out of him, maybe? Seems risky to me. Not to him personally, but to the team. Can they really expect to get a couple saves out of him before the UCL is shot? Why even try? I mean I get the appeal, but closing is such a mental thing, you'd have to think no way in hell Bautista could go out there and sling it without a care and be effective. I mean I get trying, but still. I think in the end, they come to realize this. In fact, sounds like Hyde already has??

Don P.     September 27

Don't look now, but when you all contribute comments about sports and stop crying about some guy who bets on the games, this place is pretty daggone good. Kudos to DF for what he has built here. This site is A-1 in Baltimore in my mind.

The Big T     September 27

Something that I did not realize or appreciate until much later in life was "how" I learned to watch baseball games as a youth, teenager, and young adult. It was because of Brooks that I just had to have seats on the third base side of Memorial Stadium. I went to several games each year and always had to be on that side of the diamond so I could marvel at the legendary Brooks Robinson. My whole perspective of watching a game was always from that side and it continues today. If I sit on the first base side or in the outfield once in a while, it's just a different view. I wonder if other fans had a similar experience.

Mark.S in PH     September 27

@Eric Hoffman, Great story! I believe that your mom and mine (Rita) were great friends back in the 60's 70's and 80's & until her passing. Sorry for your loss. Your mention of her working at the Colt's ticket office brought back many memories since she got us Colt season tickets. They were great seats in Memorial Stadium by-the-way. Thanks for the memories!

Jeffrey “Fireball” Roberts     September 27

@ Eric H. That was a great story. I hope you still have that ball. @ Sammy, Chris from Bel Air is one of the best here. Brooks was a great player and an even better person. Still feel kinda sad today and tearing up reading the comments here. Our heroes from the past are slowly leaving us.

Howard     September 27

The Ravens played and coached about as bad as you can. Yet, they almost pulled it out. As long as Lamar is healthy, the Ravens always have a chance to win. Glass half full.

Brian from Arbutus     September 27

BROOKS= CLASS

sammy     September 27

Is there any athlete who was elite in his sport and elite as a human being the way Brooks was? This is the rarest of commodities and we had the guy here in Baltimore since he was 18. Brooks was such a nice and gracious man that I think people outside Baltimore tended to forget how great a player he was. He had a good long life, and as someone said yesterday, lets not dwell on the sadness of him being gone, but remember the joy of him being here. God Bless Brooks and thank you for sharing him with Baltimore.

lou@palo alto     September 27

I saw many Os games in Fenway in the 70s, sitting in the CF bleachers cuz u get a gd view of balls/strikes and the remarkable Paul Blair. Two memories of Brooks: started impossible DP w ball dn the line and even the Red Sox fans loved him w their comments! Brooks once hit a long fly that hit the base of the lite standard not far away from me--it's flush to the green monster wall so it bounced bk onto the field--ump rules it in play, even tho it hit a foot above the wall top--shld hv been HR #269.

Frank     September 27

Very sad news. He was an amazing man. The kindness and patience that he showed despite his well-deserved fame was amazing to see. He never said no to an autograph request or a request for a photo. I met him a couple times including on one occasion during a business lunch at Memorial Stadium (must have been 1990 or so) when I got to sit at his table with 6-8 other guys. What a treat. I don’t remember his best offensive season (1964, when he was the league MVP) and only vaguely remember anything about his contributions in 1966. I really didn’t start getting fully into the Orioles and Colts until 1967-1969. I remember very vividly his performance in the 1970 World Series. It wasn’t so much the plays he made, because by that time, he was making plays like that 20 times per year. What was strange was to get that many opportunities to display his gifts on the biggest stage in a 5 game series. He showed the whole world what we were fortunate enough to see all of the time. He was a good, clutch hitter with 2848 hits lifetime and 268 homeruns and nearly 1400 RBIs. He was probably under appreciated and overshadowed offensively because of some of his teammates (batted behind Frank Robinson and Boog Powell) and because of his defensive skills. I teared-up at Memorial Stadium during the last game in 1991 when he came out of the dugout and jogged to his usual position at 3rd base and I cried while driving home from work yesterday evening when I heard the news. He was a big part of my life and an important part of Baltimore sports history. Irreplaceable.

Jeffwell     September 27

There is a saying that goes something like "Never meet you heroes, you will be disapointed." Anyone who ever had the good fortune of meeting Brooks can tell you that statement didn't apply to him. Nothing but grace and kindness shown to any and all who wanted to say hello, ask for an autograph or to take a photo with him. My first real interaction came after a spring training game (1967 I believe) in the old Miami facility. A bunch of kids were waiting for players to come out and get a few autographs. My Dad said we could wait with them. Most exciting day of my young life when "Mr. Brooks" said "How you doing son" and signed my baseball. Like others have said today, I was really hit hard by the news. But now I'm picturing a hard shot down the 3rd base line. Brooks makes the backhand stab, spins and fires to second to start another 5-4-3 double play. Perfection.

Such     September 27

Somewhere in the Great Beyond, all the legends have gathered to welcome their newest teammate. They smile and laugh, but they look around at one another and know there are no more hits available down the third base line. I'm like Bob S., this has hit me much harder and deeper than I expected. There must be four generations of native Baltimoreans telling stories about Brooks today. The man touched everyone he met in a positive way. We should all live so humbly and gracefully. May his memory be a blessing. For all of us.

Bob     September 27

Tom J, you're right. Definitely lost a childhood hero. What kid didn't want to play third base in little league and emulate Brooks. Mr. Clutch, you just knew he would step up to the plate in a big situation with runners on, wearing that short brim helmet and deliver.

Unitastoberry     September 27

One by one all my sports heros are heading to heaven. Father time is undefeated. Still the best 3rd baseman with the glove ever.By the time he put on the show in the 1970 World Series all of us in Baltimore where watching this on a daily basis at 3rd base all summer long 12 yrs. Remember no masn or you tube then. Just a handfull of locally brodcasted games every year. But the best compliment anyone can get is nobody on this planet ever disliked him. Nobody. He had a great life. RIP Kudos for Bautista for wanting to pitch in the playoffs injured.That's what makes fans think there is still hope for pro sports. You know what I'm talking about here.

Chris in Bel Air     September 27

RIP #5. Sad day and I think we are all taking a moment to remember any personal connection we had with Brooks. Drew - I'll be at the game tomorrow so I'm also hoping the O's and Rays both win tonight and then I can see them clinch against them Red Sox then (not Fri)! Go O's! @Sammy- You are spot on with Lamar and we are definitely on the same page about him just being a better QB. Appreciate the tip of the cap too. I also really enjoy your comments here on the O's and Ravens. Always insightful.

Wednesday August 16, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3277

no refunds or exchanges after 30 days, right?

I assume the Orioles kept the receipt on that Jack Flaherty acquisition, right?

If so, are returns and exchanges still allowed?

You usually have a full 30 days to get your money back if not completely satisfied. Something like that, I think.

I kid, of course.

Flaherty got blistered last night in San Diego but that doesn't mean he's a bum or anything like that. It was a bad night. Stuff happens, as the bumper sticker says.

But it was another night where the Baltimore bats weren't hitting on all cylinders. Sure, the boxscore shows an 11-hit evening, but five of those came in the last two innings. The O's were down 10-1 before rallying for two runs in top of the 9th.

And if there's one thing the O's have to be careful of in September and October, it's their lineup somehow all going silent at the same time.

In their last 15 games, they've scored more than 3 runs just 9 times. Now, the good news there is that in 2 of the 6 where they scored fewer than 3 runs they actually went on to win the game (2-0 vs. the Mets, 1-0 vs. the Mariners). And this isn't to suggest that the O's offense is lousy or anything like that.

It's just that you can definitely see a scenario where the O's scuffle for two or three games in October and, POOF!, season gone.

You can say that about virtually any team, I suppose. But the offense definitely has the look of a squad that could go 2014 on us and fizzle in a big series like we did against the Royals in the ALCS.

Not overreacting to last night's fiasco or anything of that nature. We could put up a 10-burger on them tonight and it wouldn't shock me.

I guess this is my way of saying I'm more nervous about the hitting than the pitching, despite Flaherty's stinker last night in San Diego.

The Rays are on their last legs, particularly now that their worst fears have been confirmed and stud starter Shane McClanahan is done for '23 (and '24) with an elbow injury. Oh, and don't look now but they might be without Wander Franco for the rest of the season as well.

Stick a fork in Tampa Bay. They're done.

Toronto can't put it all together for more than 5 or 6 games at a time. They're going to hang around in the wild card race but there's zero chance they're a threat to win the A.L. East.

Boston? New York?

No chance. And no chance.

If the O's just stay upright and keep making pars, they're going to win the division by 6 or 8 games when this is all said and done.

I've been saying that for two months now, though, so I guess you're not surprised to read that this morning. But it's true. The division is basically the O's to lose now.

It's not a "DONE" deal, yet, but the O's have "D" and "O" and Vanna has "N" in her hand ready to hang it up on the board.

A few questions came in via the mailbag or the comment section that I thought I'd answer here to do just to keep up with the housekeeping.

Someone asked if I had to pick between Justin Tucker making a 60-yard field goal and Tiger Woods making a 25-foot putt (for all the money in the world, or my life on the line, etc.), which would I choose?

I saw my buddy Stats Nerd got in there to offer his analysis and it connects precisely with mine.

I'd take Justin Tucker every single time.

The stats being what they are and all, both Tucker and Woods face longer-than-usual odds from those distances. Tucker from 50 would be almost automatic. Tucker from 55 is fairly close to automatic. Tucker from 60 would definitely be a coin flip.

Tiger from 15 feet would be, in my opinion, a less likely "make" than Tucker from 50. Tiger might make 2 of 5 or 4 of 10 from 15 feet. Tucker would make 8 of 10 from 50 yards, in my opinion.

Tiger from 20 feet? He might make 3 of 10 there, but could easily make 1 or 2 from that distance.

Tiger from 25 feet? He'd be happy to make 2 from that distance. 3 would be a total outlier. 1 from 25 feet -- out of 10 -- would be a reasonable "ask".

Tiger was (is?) a great, great putter. Until that miss at the 2005 Masters on the last hole, he'd gone his entire career without ever missing a key putt in a big moment that he had to make. That's a lot of "must make" putts in majors and other big events that found the bottom of the cup.

Granted, most of those makes were in the 5 to 15 foot range, but a few of them -- like the one in the 2000 PGA on the first playoff hole -- were outside of 20 feet.

Anyway, they're both the G.O.A.T. in their respective athletic departments.

Tucker is the greatest kicker. And it's not even close.

And Tiger's the greatest putter. And it's not even close.

But I'm taking Tucker from 60 over Tiger from 25.

Miles reached out with a question about the Orioles lease and wondered if a "fan organized rally" or "walk out" could create enough public pressure on John Angelos (and family) to expedite the signing of the long-term document.

The Orioles, as we found out a while back, are not fond of fan-organized "walk outs". We tried that once. We had 1,700 people there. They weren't pleased.

I do see a difference though. That was then, this is now.

Back when the radio station organized the in-game walk-out, we didn't have a lot of public support for the event. We had radio station listeners behind us and that was great, but there were a lot of O's fans in those days who, despite the team being run into the ground, thought we at the radio station were the bad guys.

Now? In 2023?

I think nearly every baseball fan in the area knows the truth about the ownership group in general. And while there are varying degrees of support for the work the front office does (the business side, not the baseball side), everyone thinks the lease needs to be signed. Pronto.

You won't find one person who says, "Nah, we don't need no stinkin' new lease." Everyone wants the security of a lease when it comes to the Orioles because we've all become very distrusting over the years.

Would a fan walk out or some other kind of rally designed to bring heightened attention to the lease issue rattle the organization into doing something about the agreement?

That's the question.

The answer: I doubt it.

This is not an organization that generally does things to placate their fan base.

They do things to make money. And increase value in their organization. The fans come second -- or third -- when it pertains to matters of business.

Look no further than the food and beverage "deal" at the ballpark. The former company was rolling along just fine, but the O's wanted a bigger slice of the pie so they made a change. Never mind that the other company was better, offered better food selections and so forth. The O's wanted more money from food and beverage and, because of that, quality took a back seat.

The Birds got what they wanted. More money. The fans have largely been disappointed with the new food and beverage offerings. But you see who wins and who loses in that one, don't you?

So, I'm sorry to report this, Miles, but I doubt very seriously that a fan walk-out or some other kind of protest or rally would get John Angelos to move any more quickly. He's moving at the only pace that matters to him: His.

And the behind-the-scenes strife between the Ravens and Orioles probably isn't helping get the lease done in a timely fashion, either.

There's more to report on that than just the Springsteen-on-September-9 controversy, but we'll save that for a rainy day. For now, let's worry about the big fish...the lease.

The Orioles aren't signing the lease until they're ready to sign it.

And fans stirring about or walking out en masse wouldn't help the situation. It could only hurt.

Tuesday August 15, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3276

tuesday musings

If this is the version of Grayson Rodriguez the Orioles are going to get from now until the end of the season, things are really looking up for Brandon Hyde's team.

With each passing start now, the rookie pitcher just gets better and better, with last night's 3-hit, 7-inning performance in San Diego helping the O's get past the woeful Padres, 4-1.

When he first came up in the early part of the campaign, Rodriguez was just trying to beat hitters with high-90's fastball. That's not the worst formula in the world, but better served for a reliever than a starter. You can't just keep throwing fastballs all night as a starter.

Since his return to the rotation last month, G-Rod is looking like the O's version of Nuke LaLoosh. In other words, he's learned how to pitch. And now, he's starting to look like the real deal, a fact that could make the Birds a very dangerous team come October.

The other hotshot rookie, Gunnar Henderson, shook off a recent slump and delivered a key excuse-me-double into the left field corner to clear the bases in the 5th inning. Henderson's average might only be .237 on the year, but he has that Adam Frazier-thing going where once or twice a week he comes up with a critical hit at just right the time.

As for the Padres, it's almost comical to see them go through the motions, what with their gazillion dollar payroll and all.

It just goes to show you: Talent doesn't always yield equal amounts of heart.

Machado, Tatis Jr., Soto and Bogaerts -- and a 56-63 record.

Couldn't happen to four nicer guys, eh?

Don't look now, but this could be a whopper of a 9-game road trip for the O's. After winning 2 of 3 in Seattle, they're going to do the same or even sweep all 3 in San Diego. And then they head to Oakland for three to clobber the hapless A's.

Toronto, Colorado and the White Sox then visit Baltimore for 9-games thereafter. I'm not putting the cart before the horse, but I do already have the horse saddled up and ready to go. This looks like a 13-5 stretch of baseball for the O's at just the right time.

As the Birds chug on in the direction of their 95 (or 100) win season, one thing is more apparent than ever. This is not a fluke and it's not a one-time-thing. This team is going to be good next year and the year after that as well.

And just imagine this for a second: For the first time in 25 years, a legitimate free agent is actually going to want to sign in Baltimore. They'll come for the chance to win and the money, instead of just for the money.

Now, there's no guarantee this ownership group will fork over $200 million to a pitcher for five years. In fact, there's a great chance they won't spend that kind of loot on a quality player. But if nothing else, at least, the time has come where Baltimore will be a desired destination for free agents.

I'm assuming the Warehouse won't be a desired destination for TV broadcasters this off-season, but that's a story for another day. For now we're sticking with on-the-field additions. We'll worry in the off-season about who is going to replace Kevin Brown.

Ray reached out to me with an e-mail about the Orioles and it gave me reason to think. Ray might be in the minority, granted, but his point is simple: Is there any way the lease saga could turn fans against the team in this magical 2023 season?

In normal days, I'd say "no". We're so starved for a winning baseball team here that we'd overlook just about anything in exchange for the stadium being filled in October and the prospects of another Delmon Young moment looming in the future.

Normally, I'd say "no".

But the ownership group itself isn't "normal". And the sense I get is that even some longtime diehard O's fans -- the ones, for example, who spend their days on Oriole Hangout and other team-centric websites -- have had their fill of this chaotic mess.

There are three types of O's diehards.

The first group sees no wrong. They're almost extra-supportive of the ownership group, in fact. They bleed, to borrow that term, orange and black. It's not all that much different than what we see in the political world these days. Both parties see their candidate as flawless, unblemished and perfect when the reality is he's the exact opposite.

The second group knows the ownership group is a liability but they do their best to balance the good with the bad. There's always more bad than good, of course, but the good at least gives hope that maybe, just maybe, they're finally starting to get it right.

The third group has given up on the ownership group in Baltimore. Period. They can do no right.

My sense? More and more people are leaving the first group for the second and more folks are leaving the second for the third.

There's no joy in Mudville these days. The ownership group of the Orioles has worn everyone out.

Do I think that will interfere with the playoff run? I do not.

Do I think that will impact a shot at the World Series? I do not.

But I do believe more and more people are developing such a disdain for the ownership group, the lease saga and the Kevin Brown stuff that they're less and less connected to what the team eventually accomplishes on the field.

"I've had enough," Ray wrote to me. "I've owned a 29-game plan for the last 11 years and I'm out. I don't care if they sweep through the playoffs and World Series, I'm not renewing. Dragging this lease out and asking for $300 million more in funding when you haven't put out a nickel of your own money was the last straw for me. You can have my seats. Ray is gone."

Seems like Ray is checking out no matter what happens in October.

I'm sure the Orioles don't care about Ray. He's one guy. They don't care about you, either. Or me. They're worried about that $300 million and future baked-in-revenues-and-profits far more than they're worried about you and I. That's for sure.

I got one other interesting e-mail late last week that I wanted to bring up and this one could please a lot of you.

Gerry checked in and offered this nugget. "The lease and the additional $300 million is all designed to do one thing for the Angelos family. Get them more money when they sell the team. And that's coming as soon as they get the lease hammered out and everything gets signed on the dotted line. As soon as that downtown funding gets approved and the plans get put into place, they'll have something very attractive to offer to potential buyers."

Wouldn't that be something?

The area around the stadium complex gets an entire facelift and we get new baseball owners?

There's no way we're that lucky in Baltimore, right?

I'm not sure if people know how the Ryder Cup works.

At least not here, anyway.

Two weeks from today, U.S. captain Zach Johnson will announce his six picks once the Tour Championship wraps up and the points for all events in '22-23 have been recorded.

Johnson's task will hinge on two things.

Who gets in as the six automatic picks.

And who makes a move -- both up and down -- in these last two weeks that might influence his decision one way or the other.

Here's what's known right now.

Scottie Scheffler and Wyndham Clark have clinched spots on the team. They're in. Done deal.

Patrick Cantlay is on the verge of clinching a spot on the squad as well. His playoff loss at the playoff opener on Sunday moved him into 3rd place in the standings.

It would seem almost impossible at this point to leave Brian Harman off the team. He's in fourth place right now, mostly by virtue of his win at the British Open. And while his career track record isn't all that great, he will make for a nice partner in the alternate shot ("foursomes") format in Rome next month.

Brooks Koepka is in 5th right now. Like Harman, it seems like the '23 PGA Champion is a lock to make the team even if he somehow slips out of the top 6 in these next two weeks.

And then there's Max Homa, who currently occupies the 6th and final automatic spot. He's narrowly ahead of Xander Schauffele and both of them are in the field this week at the second playoff event in Chicago.

Now it gets fun.

Schauffele (7th) and Jordan Spieth (8th) are both expected to be added by Johnson. Their absence would be a shock to everyone.

But after that?

That's where the fun starts.

The standings currently look like this:

9. Cameron Young

10. Collin Morikawa

11. Keegan Bradley

12. Sam Burns

13. Rickie Fowler

14. Justin Thomas

15. Denny McCarthy

16. Lucas Glover

Everyone under Glover hasn't reached the 6,000,000 point mark yet. It would be really hard to take anyon beneath 16 unless one of those players somehow darts up the standings in the last two weeks of the playoffs.

So if Schauffele and Spieth are (likely) locks, who are the other four?

Well, for starters, you have to acknowledge what's really important when it comes to adding players to the team via captain's picks.

1. Their play within the last 3 months.

2. Their ability to partner with multiple players on the team in either format.

3. The overall quality of their season to date with, perhaps, particular emphasis on majors and select "significant" events.

What someone has done in past Ryder Cup outings really has no bearing at all on whether they would be a successful contributor in 2023.

If you think because "Player A" was lousy in 2015 or 2019 that he shouldn't play on the team in 2023, you don't know much about how golf works.

Golf, particularly the Ryder Cup, is about now. It's about recent play, not what you did 5 years ago. It's about how you're swinging the club, putting the ball and scoring over the last month or three.

They're called "captain's picks" for a reason. The captain accumulates all the data, information and suggestions he can and then he sits down and maps out which players would best fill out the team giving consideration to 1, 2 and 3 above.

Here are several "takes" I'm willing to endorse right now, with a reminder that we still have two weeks remaining in the season and those two events could easily change the make-up of the roster and the picks.

My first guy "out" would definitely be Cameron Young.

If he doesn't finish in the top 6, I'm not using a captain's pick on him. He hasn't won yet, hasn't figured out a way to close the deal and, despite his sublime ball striking, hasn't done enough to earn a pick without even one victory to his credit.

I also think I'd probably leave Collin Morikawa out unless he puts together a strong finish in Chicago and Atlanta over the next two weeks. It just hasn't been a great year for him, other than the playoff loss in Detroit to Rickie Fowler.

The 2-time major champion has one Top 10 finish since February. Just one. That's not the kind of form that warrants being added to the Ryder Cup team.

So if those two are "out", who is in?

Well, as I wrote here yesterday, if you can't get added to the team when you've won back-to-back weeks in August, including one event just to make the playoffs, then I'm not sure when you can get added.

That said, Lucas Glover has not had a great 2023 "season". He didn't play in one major championship this year, believe it or not.

But he has definitely had an unreal last six weeks. That's for sure. He went to the long putter in late June and suddenly things started happening for him. He went T4, T6, 5th, MC, 1st, 1st. Those are precisely the numbers you want from a guy you're going to use a pick on.

As it stands right now, Glover gets the "hot hand" pick in my mind.

Who are the other three then?

I'm taking Keegan Bradley with one of those picks. He's a terrific ball striker and a better-than-advertised putter. He's won this season. And he's also a guy with some patriotic blood flowing in his veins. On foreign soil, I like his grit.

We're down to two now.

And this is where it gets dicey because, if you look at the guys below #16, there just aren't that many names there you'd consider adding to the team over, for example, Burns, Fowler, J.T., or one of those I left out; Morikawa and Young.

I mean, are you taking Kurt Kitayama instead of Justin Thomas?

Are you taking Russell Henley or Harris English over Burns, who won the Match Play championship this year, albeit all the way back in March.

Denny McCarthy or Rickie Fowler?

Remember Tony Finau? He has Ryder Cup experience. Unfortunately, he's played poorly this year.

Burns didn't help himself by not having a good event last week in Memphis.

Neither did McCarthy, who needs to finish inside the top 30 after this week's stop in Chicago to secure his first-ever trip to the Masters next spring. Denny finished last among the 50 players in Memphis, but he's still through to this week's second playoff event.

Two spots remain -- in my quest to fill out the team, that is.

At this stage, I'm going with Fowler and Justin Thomas.

The Thomas pick makes no sense at all, right? I mean, he's been lousy over the last four months.

But what he provides is a guy to play with Spieth and Scheffler, at the very least. And while I don't put much stock in how a guy has played in previous Ryder Cup events, I do believe Ryder Cup experience is important. It's a very tense environment. Having been there, done that is a bonus. Thomas has been there.

Thomas might only check one of the three boxes I listed above, but it's an important box. He has a month to get his game together, which I think he will. And you can team him up with Spieth, Scheffler or even Homa, perhaps, and get some good golf out of that pairing.

Fowler winds up being the best of the rest, I suppose.

His stats have been out-of-this-world good over the last three months. Ball striking data is solid, putting is really good and he finally broke through and won again.

If Burns, McCarthy or Cameron Young would have had a better July and/or August, you could easily justify taking one of them over Rickie. But they didn't. And given what the U.S. has right now in the standings, Fowler would get my pick.

He could be a nice fit with Scheffler, Glover or Cantlay if, somehow, the expected Schauffele-Cantlay partnership hits a roadblock at some point.

So there's your Ryder Cup primer with two weeks left. Not much is going to change between now and 14 days from now. There are 8 guys virtually locked in. We know who they are.

But the other four players will be intriguing.

As of today, I'm going with Glover, Bradley, Thomas and Fowler.

I think those four give the U.S. the best chance to win in Italy.

Let's see what happens in Chicago this week that changes my tune.

Monday August 14, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3275

what does luck have to do with it?

My Yankees-loving friend Dave was in super troll mode on Sunday in the aftermath of the O's improbable 5-3 win over the Mariners.

"So lucky," he texted me. "When all that luck runs out, they're in big trouble."

I didn't know how to answer that one. So I just sent back the first thing that came to mind: "LOL".

I mean, there are two things to consider anytime someone mentions luck in connection with a team or an athlete.

First, good luck is awesome. I'd love to have as much of it as I can. And I never, ever, ever bristle at someone who calls me lucky. I'll take luck on my side 24/7.

Second, what, exactly, determines whether "luck" is part of it or not?

Was Jorge Mateo's heads-up base running in the 9th inning "luck"??

What about the Mullins catch in centerfield? Luck?

His home run in the 10th inning? Lucky?

Sure, the O's offense wasn't all that great in Seattle, but the Mariners are trying too, you know. They're knee deep in the wild card race with a month and a half left in the regular season. Every win matters to them. So, yeah, they shut down our offense all weekend and guess what? They lost 2 of 3.

I've been saying this about the Orioles since late May: They're legit. They're going to the playoffs. And they're going to be a tough out in October.

Are they leading a bit of a charmed life? Sure. Maybe. A lot of things sure do seem like they fall right into place for them, that's for certain. But like I wrote above, I'd rather have things fall into place for me that not fall into place for me.

If you want to call that "lucky" and try to make me feel bad about winning or being successful, good luck with that, no pun intended.

I didn't buy into Dave's trolling attempt on Sunday.

He shot back with a text that said, "Don't cry when they go belly up in the playoffs."

And I replied with, "As a Yankees fan, you should know all about going belly-up in the playoffs. See you in October."

The Yankees, of course, aren't going to make the playoffs this year. That's another 2023 bonus we all get to enjoy.

But my friend Dave will check in at some point in October. If the O's somehow lose, he'll no doubt surface quickly to gloat.

And if the O's don't lose in October...I'm sure Dave will give me the silent treatment. He won't dare surface to take his medicine.

Something pretty interesting is developing on the PGA Tour with two weeks left in the season.

Lucas Glover might have just played his way onto the Ryder Cup team. Completely out of nowhere.

Glover beat Patrick Cantlay in a playoff yesterday to open the FedEx Cup Playoffs with his second consecutive victory. While he won't finish with enough Ryder Cup points to get into the Top 12, there's definitely a reason to consider him for one of the six captain's picks.

I mean, if you don't want a guy who just won two pivotal tournaments in back-to-back weeks, who do you want?

Think about this: Prior to last week's season finale in Greensboro, Glover needed at least a T2 finish to make the playoffs. He won the golf tournament.

And now, after yesterday's win in Memphis, he's all the way up to 4th in the standings and is guaranteed to get back to the Tour Championship in Atlanta in two weeks.

If you're Zach Johnson, you have to seriously consider Glover for the U.S. team, right?

Who would you rather have, right now? Glover or Sam Burns, who hasn't won since March?

Glover or Rickie Fowler? Fowler has had a very good season, no doubt, but Glover is on fire right now.

Glover or Keegan Bradley? Sure, Bradley's ball-striking numbers are off the charts, but Glover...

There are still two weeks left for Johnson and his staff to make their decisions, and some of what they'll do is based on how the Top 6 shakes out (automatic picks).

But if the team had to be picked today, you'd have to go with Glover as one of the captain's picks. Right?

If you can't get added to the team when you've won back to back weeks in August -- with your entire season on the line -- when can you get added to the team?

My guess is Johnson will take Glover and Fowler before he'll take Burns and Fowler. But Burns (#30 in the standings) could press the action with a win or big performance in Chicago at this week's second playoff event.

This is why six captain's picks makes all the sense in the world. You get a guy like Glover, who was on the far outside looking in, and he suddenly wins two tournaments and learns how to putt again and you want him on that team in late September.

If Burns -- who hasn't played all that well since March -- is collateral damage from Glover's improved play, so be it. The same goes for Fowler or Bradley. You can't take everyone, after all.

This week's second leg of the playoffs will tell much more of the story. If Glover can string together a third consecutive solid outing, that would almost make him a lock for the team.

And if Fowler or Burns somehow comes up big this week, that just means the Tour Championship will have a lot riding on it.

It seems like I come around here every 3 months or so with this kind of message. And, so, here I am. Back again.

I'll make it short and sweet.

Use a name or initials in the Comments section, please.

"Down 'E Ocean" isn't acceptable, as an example. Use a name or initials. 90% of you are using some kind of fake moniker anyway. Just use something fake within the easy-to-understand rules I've asked you to follow. If you can't, you're commentary will be removed.

Editor's note: One of the interesting things about having back room access to the site is to see that some of you actually use 2 or 3 different fake monikers. I don't know how you guys keep the different aliases straight. But anyway, as long as you're following the rules I don't care if you're Larry today, Hal tomorrow, Billy the next day and K.J. a few days down the road.

There have been several questionable comments posted recently. As I always say, I'm thankful that 98% of the folks who post here are sane. The 2% who are goofs and post inappopriate stuff will slowly get pushed out. I'm on it, trust me.

I have no idea what motivates some of you to come here and clown around. But on the other hand, I get it. People are strange.

So there's your every-three-months-reminder that I expect you to come here and act in a civil mannger. It's not that hard to do.

If you can't do it, you'll be gone.

	"Randy On The O's"
Randy Morgan takes #DMD readers through the recent week in Orioles baseball as the Birds try to lay claim to the 2023 A.L. East title.

Week Record: 3-3

Season Record: 73-45

AL East Standing: 1st Place (+3 on TB; +9.5 on WC)

Magic Number: 41

Player of the Week: Mountcastle .350 avg 2HR 5RBI 4BB

It was a slightly down week for the Orioles, but they managed to come away with a .500 record after pulling off dramatic wins on Saturday and Sunday to take two of three from Seattle.

For the most part, the team survived more than thrived this week, getting outscored 31-21 over the six games. However, an absolutely heroic effort from the recently returned Cedric Mullins helped them to end the week on a high note.

They managed to maintain their three game lead over Tampa in the AL East and a 9.5 game margin on the Wild Card chasing Mariners. Tampa wasn’t great this week either, only managing a 3-3 week thanks to two ninth inning comeback wins over the Guardians.

The Orioles suffered their most gut-wrenching loss of the season in Tuesday’s opener against Houston. After jumping out to a five run lead early on, things were looking great heading into the ninth with a three run advantage.

Then Felix Bautista gave up a grand slam to the red-hot Kyle Tucker and the Astros snuck away with the victory. The loss squandered another solid outing from young Grayson Rodriguez, who has been on a roll since returning from the minors.

Kyle Tucker continued his destruction of Orioles pitching on Wednesday with a two-run homer in the first inning. The O’s kept it close for much of the game before the bullpen collapsed in the 8th inning when Shintaro Fujinami could not find the strike zone. The game got away at that point for an 8-2 loss.

Still, the Birds rebounded in the series closer on Thursday with a solid outing from Dean Kremer and strong nights at the plate from Rutschman and Mountcastle. Felix Bautista came in for the save and was again shaky, but ultimately survived to secure the victory and once again avoid the sweep.

The O’s then traveled out to Seattle to face a Mariners team that was scorching hot. They got blitzed in the series opener on Friday, with the Mariners pounding Kyle Gibson for his worst outing of the season.

He did manage to stick it out for 5.1 innings to preserve the bullpen a bit, but the O’s were never really in the 9-2 loss. The other positive from the game was the return of Cedric Mullins from the IL, marking the occasion with a fantastic catch at the wall.

The middle game of the Seattle series was an old fashioned pitching duel. Mariners starter George Kirby was nearly unhittable, allowing just three hits in nine innings of work. But Cole Irvin did his job as well, contributing five scoreless innings in his return to the starting rotation.

The bullpen shined in this one as well, holding off the Mariners for the remainder and setting up Ryan Mountcastle to drive in the winning run with a single in the 10th inning. Felix Bautista was back to his dominant form for this game, coming on in the 9th and pitching two outstanding innings to get the win, striking out the side in the 10th and stranding the Manfred Man on second.

Sunday’s series closer was even more dramatic than the extra inning game the night before. The teams traded runs back and forth throughout the game, with the O’s swinging into the lead in the top of the 9th when Jorge Mateo beat the throw on an infield hit by Adley Rutschman. With Bautista unavailable, Mike Baumann came on to close it out.

With one down it appeared Seattle had tied it when Ty France went deep to center, but Mullins made the defensive play of the year, leaping over the fence to pull it back and keep the O’s in the lead. Unfortunately, several pitches later, Baumann gave up a no-doubter homer to Canzone to send it to extra innings.

Turns out, Mullins was not done with the heroics. The centerfielder jacked a two-run bomb in the 10th to put the Birds in the lead for good, with Fujinami coming on to earn the save and secure the series win. It sure is nice to have Mullins back.

While it's hard not to give the player of the week to Mullins for his amazing finish to the game on Sunday, two others consistently drove the offense all week. Adley Rutschman was a constant for the O’s all week, with several multi-hit games and some clutch at-bats.

However, it was again Ryan Mountcastle who was the key player for the week. Mounty continued his post All-Star break hot hitting, batting .350 with two home runs and the game winning hit in the 1-0 win on Saturday. He got on base in every game this week and has been a revelation since his return from Vertigo.

Down on the Farm –

Who else but Jackson Holliday would headline the minors this week? The teenage sensation appeared to be slowing down in AA with two hitless games, but he followed that by going 5-6 on Friday and finished the weekend strong. He’s now hitting .380 as the youngest player in AA, with a 1.025 OPS. He’s 19 years old.

His teammate in Bowie and fellow 2022 draft pick, Jud Fabian, started to heat up as well this week, hitting several homers. Up in AAA Norfolk the team had some poor results but several players still stood out. Joey Ortiz remained a consistent force, notching hits in five of the six games. Heston Kjerstad had another solid week at the plate as well.

DL Hall looked good in limited innings again for Norfolk. His velocity was up once again and with lefty Danny Coulombe going down with an injury, it may not be long before Hall returns to Baltimore.

Fellow Norfolk pitcher Chayce McDermott had an impressive start on Wednesday, going five innings with six strikeouts, no walks and one run. Aaron Hicks also joined Norfolk to begin his rehab stint.

Question of the Week –

This past week it was announced that the Orioles would be shifting to a six-man starting rotation for the foreseeable future. So the question this week is, how will this affect the pitching staff?

The move to the extra starter in the rotation seems to be an attempt to limit the stress on several starters who will exceed their previous maximum innings pitched in a season. It will allow them to make better use of Cole Irvin, who has pitched better since his midseason return from the minors, but had been languishing in the bullpen mostly as a mop-up guy in blowouts.

As long as none of the current six starters falls off a cliff, the switch should be beneficial for the starting rotation. However, it means there is one less arm available in the bullpen, so they will need the starters to eat some innings, otherwise it could put additional stress on an already taxed bullpen.

For most of the past month, the bullpen has been more concerning than the starters. The team has lost several games when their top bullpen arms were unavailable and have had issues preventing games from getting out of hand when starters leave early.

So if the extra rest can help some starters go deeper into games, it could definitely be a bonus. If not, it could exacerbate what may be the Achilles heel of the team. The hope would be that by spreading out the starts, it will limit fatigue on effective starters like Kyle Bradish, who are going to set new personal records for innings pitched. It may also allow Grayson Rodriguez to avoid being shut down, keeping the young star available for the postseason.

There may also be some reinforcements coming for the bullpen, and that could alleviate some of the concern with overtaxing the current crew. DL Hall’s arm has been lively in his first few Norfolk appearances since his return from “de-loading” and he could be an option to enhance the bullpen sooner rather than later.

Tyler Wells has been working at AA Bowie to get back on track and could be another reliever option down the stretch.

One more possible advantage of the extra rotation arm is that it gives Brandon Hyde and Mike Elias a chance to evaluate more starter options as the Os head to the playoffs. Casting a wider net of starting pitchers may help to better identify the top options to start in a playoff series.

This Week –

The Orioles will remain on the west coast this coming week, heading south to San Diego for a three game set with the Padres. San Diego has disappointed this season considering their expensive and star-laided roster.

They have lost seven of their last ten and sit 5.5 games out of the NL Wild Card spots. It will also be interesting to see how the Os broadcasters manage to discuss a certain star Padres infielder without mentioning that he spent the beginning of his career leading the Orioles on their last playoff run.

After the Padres series, the Birds travel back up to northern California to take on the last place Oakland A’s. The trip to Oakland should provide the team a good chance to pad the win column against a tanking team that has alienated their fan base.

Sunday August 13, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3274

sunday notes and mailbag

Make that 24 straight pre-season wins for the Ravens.

I know, I know.

"It's only pre-season."

And I get it. It really doesn't matter. But it's the only note worth even mentioning from last night's 20-19 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

I mean, how do you take anything seriously you saw on the field? Even if someone stood out, he was likely standing out against someone of equal (lesser) caliber.

The running back spot is one that's interesting given what's happening with disgruntled veteran J.K. Dobbins. Do the Ravens go with 3 or 4 guys there? There's Dobbins, Gus Edwards and Justice Hill. They're locks. And then you have recently-signed Melvin Gordon and undrafted free agent Keaton Mitchell, who has raised some eyebrows in the first two weeks of camp with both his running contributions and his punt returning (3 for 73 yards) .

Hill (48 yards on 3 carries), Edwards (4 for 21 yards), Gordon (6 for 16) and Mitchell (6 for 11) all saw time last night while Dobbins continued his silly hold out. We all know the former 2nd round pick is eventually going to cave in and join the action in Owings Mills but in the meantime, you're showcasing Gordon and Mitchell for other teams in the event you part company with one or both of them.

Dobbins is probably the biggest story in the pre-season but he's hardly a "real" story. He's going to play. This August stunt to prove a point is inevitably going to yield him very little.

I saw Ben Cleveland getting beat up on Twitter a lot last night. OK, so maybe an Eagles rookie was schooling him in a series or two. I'm still not sure it's worth getting worked up about.

The biggest Baltimore worry in the regular season is going to be in the defensive secondary. Nothing about last night's game, at least the portion I saw, made me any MORE or LESS concerned about that department. We know the Ravens are thin at cornerback. They're an injury away from really being in trouble and last night's game didn't change anything.

I felt queasy about Brandon Stephens before last night's game and nothing made me feel better or worse about him. He did make 7 tackles...as a cornerback. But he continues to get beat for receptions...as a cornerback.

Justin Tucker hit a 60-yard field goal, so he can sit out the last two pre-season games and get ready for the season opener. He's ready.

I used to get really worked up about the pre-season, like most of the folks in Baltimore did circa 2005. It was interesting to watch a dozen or so players battle it out for the final 3 or 4 roster spots. And Ozzie (back then) and Eric (now) were always trying to scavenger-hunt their way into a decent veteran or two who might get cut elsewhere in August.

And there was a day when you could actually tell something about the team in the pre-season because the starters played in the games. Now, hardly anyone who matters plays more than a series or two. There might be a chance that Lamar plays one quarter, total, of pre-season football this month. And I think we all understand it and, mostly, agree with it.

The one guy I think has a chance to break out with a big 2023 is tight end Charlie Kolar. The Ravens already have an elite tight end, of course, in Mark Andrews. And there's Isaiah Likely in the mix as well. But something tells me Kolar might eventually wind up as Lamar's #2 option in that spot. Andrews could definitely benefit from Kolar's rise in 2023.

I don't have any additional pre-season "hot takes" other than I think Kolar could be a big contributor in 2023 and the Ravens secondary is going to be their soft spot unless DeCosta somehow adds a decent veteran later this month.

It's hard to come up with anything else when 90% of the players we saw for the bulk of last night's game have a minimal chance of making this year's roster.

Craig in White Marsh asks -- "Drew, a question for your mail bag feature. Do you buy into the story from professional golf where players start to lose something in their game once they meet a woman, get married, have kids, etc.? There's a lot of talk about Scheffler and Spieth and how they haven't won as much since they got married and I'm wondering if Justin Thomas isn't experiencing similar issues and maybe that's why he's playing poorly?"

DF says -- "Well, Scheffler is the #1 or #2 player in the world (it changes once or twice a month) so I don't think marriage has impacted his golf game negatively. He won The Players in 2023 and will fight it out with Rahm for Player of the Year honors. Spieth has had a nice resurgence over the last 18 months and will probably make the Ryder Cup team. So I don't see your point with those two.

But your question does have merit. And, yes, marriage and children definitely change the way a player approaches his work on the PGA Tour. There's no debating that. There's also nothing wrong with that, either.

And for every story of a guy whose play dropped off when he got married and had children and changed his priorities, there's a Rickie- Fowler-like-story where Fowler's game seems to be taking off again after he settled in with marriage and his baby girl came along.

I think most of the top players in the world figure out very quickly how to juggle their new duties as husband and father and still keep their game sharp. It is, after all, their "job". It's not like you and I who get married, have kids, and maintain a regular Monday-through-Friday job...and on top of that, we want to play golf as well.

If Rickie's wife likes their $3.2 million house, the Au pair, the chef, the cars, and the other trinkets that come with being Mrs. Rickie Fowler, she certainly has to understand that Rickie has to "work" to keep that lifestyle going for her.

Dave asks -- "Any thoughts from #DMD about all of these colleges moving from conference to conference and the Big Ten taking schools like UCLA?"

DF says -- "It's awful. But it's not changing. At least not until the eventual "Super Conference" is launched in 2030 or 2040, which I still think is the next step.

I saw the commentary from the University of Washington softball players who were objecting to their potential inclusion with the Big Ten and I get it. "We chose UW because it's close to home and the teams in the Pac-12 are also fairly close (a short flight away) and our parents and relatives can travel and watch us play."

And now that's gone. Their parents will have to travel to Chicago, Columbus, Ann Arbor and Washington D.C.. But the schools don't care about that because deep down, in places they don't talk about at parties, no administrator at UW or Stanford or UCLA cares about women's softball. I have no idea what it costs to actually "run" UW softball, but I know this: It's a money loser for the school.

So when they're being courted by the Big Ten, ACC, etc., those schools are thinking about two sports and two sports only. Football and basketball. Sure, soccer might sneak in there and have about 3% of importance. Maybe lacrosse would have 3% depending on the conference. Maybe baseball or women's basketball would matter 3% or so. But the powers-that-be at the big schools are only concerned with making money on basketball and football."

Someday down the road, there's going to be one bit "Super Conference" with 32 schools in it and the "smaller" conferences will still play amongst themselves and act like they're important. But the Super Conference will be where the money is made."

Alex asks -- "Beginning golfer here with a question about golf manners and thought I'd turn to you for an answer. This is my second full year playing and I still move the ball in the fairway and rough since I'm learning how to properly strike the ball. I played with a group of guys at Pine Ridge last week and they kept mocking me during the round, so much so that I left after 12 holes. Is it normal for other golfers to poke fun at another golfer (a complete stranger) like that? And is there anything wrong with me moving my ball into a favorable location while I'm still learning the game? Thanks, Drew"

DF says -- "There's certainly nothing wrong with you "rolling" the ball everywhere as long as you understand any score you shoot under those conditions can't be placed into the handicap sytem. That's not a "real" round of golf. I mean, you certainly could put the score into the system and it would take it, but your score wouldn't be legitmate. I guess that's a better way of putting it.

And while I understand the merits of your reasoning for moving the ball everywhere, I'd suggest you stop doing that right now. It's serving no real purpose, other than giving you a false sense of accomplishment or improvement when you fluff your ball in the rough and hit your ball onto the green from 150 yards out.

As for those guys who rattled your cage, I'm not sure why your game (and style) was of their concern unless you had a friendly wager with them. Other than that, who cares what you do with your golf game? So, no, that's not really "normal" behavior. I've played with lots of strangers who did things on the course I didn't understand, but I didn't worry about it. It's hard enough to play golf and worry about your game and be any good. Right?"

J.W. asks -- "Hey Drew, who is your surprise team or two in the NFL this season?"

DF says -- "I haven't really thought about it yet, honestly. I'm in full baseball (and golf) mode right now. But I think Jacksonville is going to be one of the AFC's better teams given their soft schedule and easy division. I could see them winning 12 or 13 games. I think Trevor Lawrence is going to have a big year for them.

I am buying some stock in Aaron Rodgers in New York but I'm not sure that Jets offensive line can keep him upright for 17 games. I could see the Jets starting out 10-4 or something like that and then Rodgers getting hurt and the whole season falling apart for them.

My other "surprise team", if you will, would be Carolina. They have a similar situation that Jacksonville has -- schedule, favorable division, etc. I don't see anyone in the NFC South being all that great, which gives Carolina a chance to sneak in there and make the post-season.

I'll do my pre-season predictions in a few weeks so you know exactly who to avoid wagering on in 2023. But I do already know my two Super Bowl teams for '23 and I know, for sure, one of them will be a surprise to most of you."

Carter asks -- "This is a serious question but it probably isn't realistic. A bunch of us were talking about this around the firepit recently and I thought I'd ask you since I know you love music. What would it cost for Dave Grohl, Dave Matthews, Rob Thomas or any other big time singer in a band to come to your neighborhood Labor Day party and play and sing for 60 minutes? Our answers ranged from $50,000 to $1 million. Thanks, Drew!"

DF says -- "I have no idea. Obviously, you're presupposing they would show up, which I doubt they would. But here's what I would say about that. If you could get to them (via their agent) and make a compelling reason why you want them (charity angle, neighborhood in distress, etc.), I think $100,000 moves "anyone" to be interested, at the very least.

Dave Matthews probably looks at $100,000 the way you and I look at $100. "It's $100, who cares?"

But I think $100,000 moves him, particularly if you're nearby, his travel to/from is easy, he doesn't have to spend the night, etc.

And that's the same for any of those guys. $25,000? Not worth it.

$50,000? Not worth it.

$100,000? Starting to enter "worth it" territory.

That's my guess, anyway. Those guys might all laugh at $100K, but I think that's a starting point for a private show."

Speaking of Dave Matthews, I'd pay $250 for the neighborhood party if he promises to sing this song, my favorite DMB tune."

Saturday August 12, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3273

and now...back to baseball

The final chapter of the Kevin Brown saga -- or the "apparent" final chapter at least -- was certainly a doozy.

That it coincided with a listless 9-2 loss at Seattle to kick off a 9-game road trip was not part of the story, per se, but perhaps a fitting connection nonetheless.

The Orioles couldn't get out of their own way on Friday afternoon and they couldn't get out of their own way on Friday night. Two peas in a pod, if you will.

On the field last night, Kyle Gibson authored one of his least effective starts of the season, falling behind 2-0 in the first inning on a Cal Raleigh home run and then allowing two more dingers and a total of 9 earned runs in 5.1 innings of work.

The O's managed just four hits on the night, including a homer from Anthony Santander. It wasn't pretty on offense, either.

If you're keeping score at home, that's three losses in four games for the Birds. Tampa Bay pulled out a 9-8 win last night, so Baltimore's lead in the East is back down to two games over the Rays. Seattle, by the way, has won 8 straight overall to work their way back in the A.L. wild card hunt.

On the field, it wasn't great last night.

Off the field, it was almost comical.

After hearing not a word from Kevin Brown all week, we got treated to a statement from the O's TV play-by-play late Friday afternoon.

Everyone else in the free world has broken it down over the last 16 hours, so why shouldn't we?

O’s fans, I’m a storyteller. And never want to be a part of the story. The most compelling story in baseball right now is the story of the league-leading Baltimore Orioles – the best, most exciting young team in the American League.

Unfortunately, recent media reports have mischaracterized my relationship with my adopted hometown Orioles. The fact is that I have a wonderful relationship with the organization, and our ownership and front office has fully supported me since 2019 when I first came aboard.

I ask that everyone disregard the distracting noise of the past few days. I have worked closely with O’s SVP Greg Bader for the past four years, and John Angelos and I have a solid dialogue based on mutual respect. We are all good here in Birdland!

I am proud to be an Oriole and call Baltimore home, and there is no place in baseball I’d rather be now and for the long haul. Go O’s!”

Where do we begin?

Let's start with this. Why did it take all week for Brown -- err, the Orioles, that is -- to craft a statement about his absence?

When the you-know-what-hit-the-fan on Tuesday in Baltimore, why not put something together right then and there? You know, something that basically said, "Hey Baltimore, all is well. I'll be back on the air on Friday in Seattle after spending a couple of weeks with my family and enjoying a little mid-season R&R."

That would have been a fib as well, of course, but the timing of it might have helped make it easier for naive people in Charm City to believe that perhaps Brown hadn't been suspended.

Instead, hours before he goes back on the air in what looked to be the famous Friday afternoon "news dump", Brown and the Orioles collaborated on a social media message designed to disguise what we all know to be true: There's trouble in Birdland.

---

And why even release a statement on Friday afternoon? I mean, we already heard from the Orioles last Monday when they said, "We don't comment on personnel decisions."

But why the statement from Brown?

It rekindled memories of the movie "A Few Good Men" for me.

Remember the scene? "Wait, Colonel, if your orders are always followed, why then did you have to tell Kendrick to make sure his guys didn't touch Private Santiago?"

"Sometimes men take things into their own hands..."

Well, if Brown wasn't suspended, as the O's contended (very loosely) he wasn't earlier this week, why have Brown issue the statement?

To refute the chatter that accompanied the story?

Well, in that case, wouldn't you have had Brown author that statement on Tuesday?

I realize 99% of the people who consider themselves O's fans aren't Rhodes Scholars, but we're not dummies, either. It's almost offensive to have the Orioles patch this thing together and make the fans out to be stupid.

Oh, and no one seemed to talk about this last Monday when the Orioles first refuted the story, but when you say "We don't comment on personnel decisions", aren't you, in fact, admitting you've made some sort of "personnel decision"?

"Have you suspended Kevin Brown?"

"We don't comment on personnel decisions."

That's interesting. So you're trying to say you haven't suspended him but you're willing to admit, at least, you've done "something" with him? Right? Right?

#clownshoes

---

Now, to the statement.

Let's note the most obvious part of the entire thing: Nowhere in there did Brown say "Contrary to reports, I was not suspended over the last two weeks."

He didn't say, "The story that's surfaced this week is wrong. Period. I wasn't suspended. Any report of that is simply untrue."

I mean, if that were you...and you were authoring your own (supposedly) message, wouldn't you go to great lengths to refute the stories about you?

Of course you would. But Brown couldn't land the plane in that manner. And we all know why.

So, taken right from chapter one of the P.R. handbook, the O's had Brown emphasize the positive right out of the gate. "The most compelling story in baseball right now is the story of the league-leading Baltimore Orioles."

The Texas Rangers might disagree with that, but it's all good. The Orioles most certainly are a compelling story, no doubt.

Then there's an immediate praise of ownership, also a first-line guarantee in any kind of employee-employer rift.

Yeah, that ownership group, they sure are swell people, aren't they Kevin?

Try polling the Ravens or Governor Moore about that when you get a second.

"Unfortunately, recent media reports have mischaracterized my relationship with my adopted hometown Orioles."

I loved this one. So it's the media's fault you got got suspended and the O's tried to hide it? Gotcha.

And don't you love the "my adopted hometown Orioles" throw-in? It couldn't just read "my relationship with the Orioles." They needed to add in "my adopted hometown Orioles" to remind you that Kevin is Orioles through-and-through. He loves this team and organization so much.

He is, in fact, bleeding orange-and-black, to borrow a phrase I'm sure he's familiar with since 2019.

"I ask that everyone disregard the distracting noise of the past few days. I have worked closely with O’s SVP Greg Bader for the past four years, and John Angelos and I have a solid dialogue based on mutual respect. We are all good here in Birdland!"

Those three sentences were doozies.

"Distracting noise" is another hilarious tempt by Brown -- err, the Orioles -- to get you to look the other way and ignore the news of the week. It's interesting the word "distracting" was used there, because that's exactly what that hidden-ball-trick attempt was intended to be yesterday -- a distraction from the fact that Brown was returning on Friday, as his suspension laid out.

Then it gets good.

"I have worked closed with SVP Greg Bader for the past four years..."

Why mention him?

I mean, there are a number of high-ranking executives in the front office. Why pick Bader out to compliment and praise? And why only him? I mean, come on man, there were a lot of us out there who were born at night, but that doesn't mean it was last night.

And then, of course, came the odd mention of John Angelos, which the Orioles didn't know how to include in the statement so they just came up with the old "mutual respect" angle.

"Mutual respect" is what you say when both of you pretty much dislike one another but you're not really in a position to do anything about it.

The Orioles can't possibly fire Kevin Brown over the grade-school-stuff that angered them over the last five weeks.

And Brown likes his $200,000 a year job way too much to stir the pot and point fingers at Angelos.

They could use the word "tolerate one another", but that would be a dead giveaway. So "mutual respect" was used instead.

We see what you're doing there, guys.

But the line that's really interesting is the part about having "solid dialogue".

Riddle me this: How many owners in Major League Baseball do you think have any kind of conversation during the season with the team's TV play-by-play voice?

I don't know the answer, but I bet it's "almost none".

That is, unless there are circumstances that warrant those conversations. And now we know -- and I don't know about you, but I was thrilled to find this out -- that Brown and Angelos not only have "dialogue", but they have solid dialogue.

Whew, I'm relieved. I was worried you two might not get along.

The whole thing was laughable.

No one, and I mean no one, believed a word of the statement. Just like the O's got chewed-up-and-spit-out on Tuesday and Wednesday in Baltimore, they got laughed at on Friday when the statement was published.

This is not a surprise, of course.

Once upon a time when the Ravens grossly botched the entire Ray Rice saga, that situation created quite a stir in Baltimore because the Ravens were just not prone to making P.R. mistakes.

We were all surprised at how that unraveled on them. Over the years, now-departed P.R. guru Kevin Byrne has even admitted the organization fumbled that one.

But P.R. mistakes by the Ravens were few and far between in Byrne's days at the helm.

The Orioles are guest speakers at the "How To Make A P.R. Mistake" conference every summer.

So it's not surprising that Friday's statement was comically out-of-place. It's what the Orioles do.

At this point, though, everyone knows the drill.

O's bungle a story.

O's go silent.

O's get battered.

O's stay silent.

O's release carefully worded statement through the offended party in an effort to smooth things over.

O's get battered again.

That's usually the way it goes. And that's the way it went this week.

Kevin Brown was back on the air last night and that was a good thing.

The O's were lousy on the field and that was a bad thing.

But it was, once again, the team's front office who stole the major headlines on Friday.

As the great Pink Floyd once said: "All in all it's just another brick in the wall."

Another day, another attempt to convince us all that what we're the ones who are crazy.

Oh, and speaking of "crazy", anyone have an extra $300 million laying around they can give to the Orioles?

question of the day

If you've been reading a lot of national pre-season football stuff over the last couple of weeks, there are some outlandish "theories" being floated around about the upcoming season.

For today's QOTD, we're doing to focus mainly on the ones we're reading and hearing regarding AFC teams. There are plenty of them floating around.

Of these four, which one do you think has the most LIKELY chance of taking place in the 2023 NFL season?

* Deshaun Watson and Browns have big rebound and make AFC Championship Game

* Aaron Rodgers lifts Jets to AFC East title in his first season in New Jersey

* Trevor Lawrence and Jaguars continue their rise in the AFC, reach Super Bowl

* Justin Herbert and Chargers finally put it all together and win the Super Bowl

Me? I think of all four of those, Trevor Lawrence and the Jags reaching the Super Bowl is the one most likely to happen. They're in a patty-cake division and they're coming off of a good season in which they started to believe they might actually be pretty good.

I'm not sure their offense is good enough, but given those four choices, I think Jacksonville catching lightning in a bottle with Trevor Lawrence at the helm is definitely possible.

And you????

Friday August 11, 2023

#DMD

Issue #3272

mickelson: "i might move the line"

One of the all-time great lines in sports was authored by Phil Mickelson a while back.

And it had nothing at all to do with actual "sports". Instead, it was a gambling trip where he authored the priceless gem.

Mickelson once flew a number of friends to Las Vegas, including former pitcher Tom Candiotti, for a weekend of revelry and sports betting. The guys all bounced downstairs at the Bellagio to place their bets on Sunday football and, since he was their host, allowed Mickelson to move to the front of the pack to place his wagers.

"You guys should probably go first," Phil said. "I might move the line."

That's when you know you're probably betting a tad too much on the games. It's your bet that alters the point spread.

That account of Mickelson's gambling and plenty of others appear in the soon-to-be-released book from convicted felon Billy Walters, who once formed a gambling partnership with Mickelson and attested -- in excerpts released on Thursday -- that Mickelson has lost over $100 million gambling on sports in his lifetime.

Mickelson's name was also linked to Walters' insider-trading activity, which is ultimately what landed Walters in jail and, frankly, should have done the same to Phil.

As crafty off the course as he is on, though, Mickelson worked out a deal with the government where he agreed not to testify on behalf of Walters, paid back roughly $900,000 he had earned through trading, and avoided jail time. Walters contends in the book that Mickelson's testimony, had the 6-time major champion been truthful, would have exonerated him and kept him out of prison.

There's a lot of bad blood between Walters and Phil now, but one thing is for certain: Mickelson had a hot-and-heavy gambling problem. It isn't a stretch to say that Mickelson might have been one of the top gamblers in the entire country at the zenith of his wagering addiction.

The biggest nugget released on Thursday was the one most vehemently denied by Phil.

Walters contends Phil reached out to him prior to the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah and asked if he'd place a $400,000 bet on the U.S. for him.

Mickelson was playing in the event.

Walters read him the riot act, one of the few times a gambler made a wise decision, and refused to place the bet for Mickelson.

On Thursday, Mickelson didn't deny that he's lost over $100 million or that he once made 243 bets on Major League Baseball in a single day.

But he denied the Ryder Cup wagering attempt, although it was interesting to read his words.

"I've never placed a bet on the Ryder Cup..." Mickelson wrote in a statement.

That might be true, actually. But that's different than: "I've never wanted to place a bet on the Ryder Cup."

This is eerily similar to crazy Pete Rose, who once tried to convince the world he never bet against the Reds when he was managing them.

Mickelson and Rose are cut from the same cloth.

They'd bet on the color of the next car to come down the street. Or a pick-up basketball game in the local gym. Or how many minutes it takes for your chinese food to come out to the table.

And both of those guys would most certainly bet on games or activities involving themselves. They would, essentially, bet on anything.

Mickelson wanted to bet on the Ryder Cup. Walters wouldn't place the bet for him. It's unthinkable, yes, but gamblers are all driven by the same thing: The action. It doesn't matter if they know the names of the players on the team, even. They just want to bet.

What this does to tarnish Mickelson's legacy that scampering off to LIV Golf hasn't already done is anyone's guess.

But it certainly adds to Phil's bruised and battered character, that's for sure.

While Phil was running around the country 16 months ago fighting with the PGA Tour for increased tournament purses, more media rights revenue and an overall larger piece of the pie, he figured out a way to connect his quest to "give back to the game" by taking $200 million from the Saudis.

It turns out Phil wasn't really interested in "giving back to the game". He was interested in a $200 million check to help make up for gambling losses and other extravagant expenses he authorized over the years.

Mickelson's gambling, of course, isn't really our business. It's his money. He can do with it what he wants.

The insider trading issues? That might be our business. It's certainly the government's business.

The move to LIV, the french-kissing of the Saudi Public Investment Fund, the on-going feud with the PGA Tour? That's a sports story that you're welcome to have an opinion on if it interests you.

My opinion of Mickelson has never really changed. He's always been a shady dude. These gambling stories don't change the way I look at him, just basically reaffirms what I've always thought about him.

Oh, and that wild drive he hit on the 72nd hole of the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot and the follow-up hero shot he tried when a punch out into the fairway would have given him a great chance of winning the tournament?

You're welcome to think about that in whatever way you want.

But those were definitely two wild, wild shots he hit, weren't they?

Is it possible -- even just remotely so -- that Phil wanted to hit two terrible shots?

I don't know if he wanted to or not, but here's what I do know: they sure were way off line...

I see in the Comments section that a segment on 105.7 on Wednesday morning has created quite a stir here. I don't have an interest in interfering in that "discussion", if you will. What was discussed on Wednesday is between the show host in question and the owner of the former station where he and I both worked.

I've written, from time to time, about my 12 years at the station. Like virtually everything else that we all experience in life, it had its ups and downs.

There were a lot of things about doing radio I loved. There were some things about doing radio I tolerated. And there were a few things about doing radio I didn't like.

Too many years have passed for me to worry about rehashing that stuff. As the great Michael McDonald sings: "There's no lookin' back now..."

But one thing I do believe is still important, because the Orioles are always relevant in our market, is the story-behind-the-story regarding the team and the relationship they had with the radio station when I was there from 2002-2014.

I will always support what the station owner tried to do back then. I thought it was right 18 years ago and I still think it's right today, even though I'm 9 years removed from the place and, like the others on August 21, 2014, was dismissed in what I thought was an unprofessional manner given what I'd put into the station over the years.

So it makes total sense that some of you might be wondering why I'd be defending the guy who fired me in a 20-second meeting after 12 years of dedicated service.

Well, it's simple: right is right and wrong is wrong.

And we were right, back then, as a radio station, to demand accountability and improvement from the Orioles. They were a mess. Not only were they a mess, they were really not all that interested in cleaning up after themselves. They created that situation. The radio station didn't. The fans didn't. The media didn't.

Just like Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic said earlier this week regarding the Kevin Brown situation, "If you'll stop doing stupid stuff, we'll stop telling people you're doing stupid stuff."

Back in the old days, the Orioles did a lot of dumb stuff. And they acted as if it was our fault people were calling them out on it.

There was a discrepancy with an advertising bill, yes. And without any question -- and the Orioles knew this -- the baseball team was in the wrong. The dispute was over the difference between $33,000 and $3,000. The story is too long to go into here, other than to say it was a typographical error and the Orioles knew it.

Was the station owner wrong for going on the air and flaming them about it when they refused to pay the bill? Probably, yes. Once you go on the air with it, you're entering new territory.

But $30,000 was a lot of money back then. It's a lot of money now, too. But $30,000 back in 2005 was a lot for a privately owned radio station.

And the water gun "event" at the stadium was one of the worst things I've seen from a supposed professional organization. Let me say this, as I've written here before: Had that been my wife the Bird squirted with a water gun, I would have been in Central Booking that night.

It wasn't a squirt gun that 6-year olds use at a birthday party. It was one of those large, heavy duty, "fill and pump" water guns that shoots out a healthy blast of water. They're fun when you're at the beach or a park and everyone's in on the gag.

They're not fun when you're standing there with 1,000 people you brought to the game and you're not anticipating it in the least.

That incident, of course, was the start of the "real feud". The Orioles, because they didn't know what they were doing back then, thought it would be cute to have the Oriole Bird who did the deed send an apology over stamped "The Bird".

$30,000 and getting blasted by a water gun at the stadium -- that's what the Orioles did. The station didn't do that. The Orioles did that.

This is not meant to be a blanket endorsement of everything the station owner has done in the aftermath of that event. And it's not meant to in any way take away from what the 105.7 host said on Wednesday. I heard the audio clip of it. I believe my former co-worker -- whom I texted with this week and consider a friend -- made some valid points. But that's between those two.

What I do know, given what we've seen from the Orioles this week with the Kevin Brown situation, is that the organization has long been wildly out of touch with reality when it comes to taking blame, accepting criticism or allowing others to have an opinion that might conflict with the way they see things.

And as we've seen time and time again, once you step out of line with the Orioles, you're done. There's no middle ground, no "let's get coffee and talk this through" and almost never,