“Wrap Around on a Wednesday”

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Padres….Not hitting, not at all, unless you consider the Arena Ball games played at Coors Field-Colorado against a woeful Rockies pitching staff. Aside from that series in the Mile High City, the output has been anemic. The Padres scored 32-runs in 3-games in Denver. In the series against the Dodgers, and the one they wrap up in Philadelphia, the Padres have scored 4-runs in 54-innings. And their so-called improved defense? Friars have 9-errors in 9-games.

Dodgers…Kenta Maeda is the real deal. Two very impressive starts, choking off the Padres, and his scintillating start against the Giants. As the TV-Auto dealership ad says, ‘location-location-location’…and he is always around the knees, inside-outside, cutting the black. Impressive. And so far so good with Yasiel Puig, hitting, fielding, and hitting the cutoff man in right field for LA.

Angels…When you have 3-of your 5-starters ailing, that cannot be good this early in the season. That coupled with the slow first week starts of Albert Pujols and Mike Trout. Those guys will hit, but where will the quality starts come from in the Halos rotation.

Lakers..Kobe’s farewell was emotional, it was electric, it was historical.. For a half hour prior to last night’s finale against Utah, the NBA-wide salute of the Lakers star was enormous and very emotional. For half an hour we forgot about the horrors of a (16-65) season. And then he went out and put on a Hollywood type farewell. You could not have scripted it better, a 60-point nite, a come-from-behind win when they were down 16, a wild crowd that refused to leave the Staples Center. What a way to go out last nite. Now this, this morning. We now return you to your original program, a sad-sack franchise, facing a long hard uphill climb to respectability.

Clippers…They finish on an upbeat note, and look to go deep into the playoffs. They do have 4-good starters, and a firebrand in Jamal Crawford off the bench, but you cannot tell me they are in the same area code as the Warriors and Spurs.

Golden State…The Warriors go to postseason with an all time record (73-9) record, erasing the Michael Jordan (72-10) mark. Too much firepower, lots of toughness on the glass, and a bunch of guys who can score off the bench.

San Antonio…Those Spurs, a spledid mix of veterans and youngsters, keyed by Kawhi Leonard, will give the Warriors a real run for their money whenever they meet, but I just do not think they have enough bullets in the gun to go a 7-game series.

Cleveland..LeBron James gets another chance to go get a ring, but injuries and hot and cold nights from teammates could doom that team if they get to the finals.

Philadelphia…And we think the Lakers are a disgrace. Try finishing (10-72) after what they did the prior two years. They get another high lottery pick, but have had little luck, aside from Jahlil Okafor, at the top of the draft board.

LA Kings…They grinded their way into postseason, but did not finish first. The NHL Western Conference playoffs are going to be brutal, some real combat, and alot of best of seven series. The Kings, who have won 2-Cups in 4-Years, might not get back to the finals this time around.

Ducks…For a team that was (1-7-2) to start the year, I wouldn’t want to play them now. Anaheim is (34-10-5) since Christmas Day, and getting scoring from everybody. Now they have to stay healthy on defense. Their power play unit and their penalty kill package (87%) are the difference makers.

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