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“Thursday Topics-Lots of Them”

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PADRES…..Do not be alarmed about the decision of the Padres to send hot young rookie pitcher Chris Paddack to Lake Elsinore. This is to give him a 10-day rest from the rotation. He’ll throw between starts, and likely make a short start for the Storm. This is about managing his innings this year, and also to give him extended time between starts. Yes he has velocity, but he has been missing the zone, and his ball movement has not been what it was in his first five starts. The ERA is (7.20) the last six outings. It is a fatigue situation.

PADRES…Lucky for the Friars the farm system is so plentiful, they can afford to make a Paddack move like this. Decent starts from Calvin Quantrill and Nick Margavicius and the odd bullpen day, led by Robbie Erlin, make this possible. Next to be called up might be Logan Allen.

DODGERS…Another blow to the team, the loss of SS-Corey Seager with a severe hamstring injury. Likely putting him on the shelf for 8-weeks. Justin Turner has yet to get hot, after missing the early season with nagging injuries.

DODGERS…Joe Kelly is the huge disappointment in LA. The ex-Red Sox setup guy, getting 5M a year, has a (7.59-ERA). His line, (21inn-20R-38-baserunners-20HRs).

ANGELS….If you don’t have pitching, you cannot win, even if Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani are in the middle of your lineup. Why the Halos would ever give Trevor Cahill (5M) is a shocker. He’s now on the DL after a horrific seige of starts Try these numbers on for size, (39inn-39R) and a 7.18-ERA.

ANGELS…Woe is the other veteran starter, Matt Harvey, the ex-Met, plagued by back problems, and now in shutdown mode on a rehab assignment. Last start (2.2inn-7R-82 pitches). The Halos just got Andrew Heaney back from elbow issues. Aside from 1st round pick Gabe Canning, the rest of the rotation resembles the Salt Lake City Bees of the PCL.

CHARGERS…Ominous is the word used to describe head coach Anthony Lynn, when asked about an injury to LT-Russell Okung. He gave no details, but the Pro Bowler has not been on the field in late OTA’s or this weeks veteran minicamp. He had a history of injuries before he got to the Bolts,but has had 2-healthy seasons. Maybe shelf-life expiring. They cannot afford to lose him.

RAMS….Everyone is talking about it, everyone but the Rams head coach Sean McVay and his star running back Todd Gurley. Talking about the arthritic condition in his knee, the one he so badly hurt at Georgia. It virtually ceased his production late last season in the playoff run into the Super Bowl. Now he’s not on the field for any team work in the OTAs or this weeks minicamp. McVay issues general answers about ‘managing his workload’, Gurley says its a ‘minor issue’. Until he has 100-yard games again, no one will buy what the Rams are selling.

LAKERS LINE….They are talking again to the New Orleans Pelicans about a deal for upset soon-to-be free agent Anthony Davis. Two trade offers are being discussed. The Lakers would ship the 4th pick in the draft,plus Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram for Davis. Or New Orleans is asking for Kyle Kuzma-Ball-Ingram in a 3-for-1 swap, and letting the Lakers keep the 4th pick. Stay tuned, if it is to happen, it will happen within the next two weeks leading into the draft.

KINGS-DUCKS FAREWELLS….Rumors everywhere that the Kings are going to eat the 12M-owed veteran defenseman Dion Phaneuf. They are also shopping the 8M-contract of RW-Dustin Brown. The Ducks are attempting to trade the 17M left on Corey Perry’s contract, or may do the amnesty buyout of his deal to get cap relief. Both teams want to get younger, both teams need salary cap space. Changes are coming.

KINGS-DUCKS TRADES…The NHL draft is just around the corner. The Kings are interested in a deal for Patrick Marleau, the Leafs veteran power forward. The Ducks like 20-goal scorer Kasperi Kaapen, whom Toronto needs to move in a salary cap deal. Both could happen leading into the draft.

GULLS…He’s waiting for the phone to ring. Caller ID should say “949” and Dallas Eakins should be offered the Ducks head coaching job. Why not? He put in 4-really solid years once the Gulls put the AHL franchise into San Diego, and he’s probably coached 8-to-10 of the Ducks young draft picks, who have been up and down the last couple of years. He deserves it. So deserving of credit too, is Gulls GM-Bob Ferguson who led the charge to hire Eakins to come to San Diego, after he had been dumped by the Edmonton Oilers after just a year and a half on the Oilers bench.

WORLD CUP SOCCER….a big 13-0 opening win for Team USA in the Women’s World Cup in France, and a big win for Fox-TV in the opening game rating. A 2.2-share, the highest in the US since the 2018 FIFA-Cup finals. Kansas City had the highest market rating (4.5)….San Diego, which does not have a team was second best (4.1). Yes, alot of criticism of the over celebration by the USA women, and words like ‘piling on’…’overkill’….’disrespectful’ for all the exuberance they showed in overwhelming the Thai team. Things will get more challenging in the next two weeks, and so will a rise in ratings too.

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