“Catching Up”

————————

New stories in the sports-news cycle:

PADRES….No one talking about Fernando Tatis start this spring, but he is (0-10) and not putting any ump behind the ground balls and pop ups he is hitting.  It’s not like he is behind the curve.  He’s been swinging bats for more than a month and hit in intrasquad games before getting into Cactus League games.  I am concerned about his ability to snap his wrist to put power behind his swings, you know, the wrist he broke in that motor cycle accident and the wrist he had two surgeries on.

DODGERS…Don’t know how USA Today can pick LA to have the same record as the Padres this year.  The Dodgers have lost 4-of their top 8-bats in the order in the off season.  They lost front line starting pitcher Tyler Anderson.  Yes, it has been an impressive start this spring for Noah Syndegaard on the mound, and yes JD Martinez and David Peralta should help the batting order.  They have a host of unproven but top rated minor leaguers, who have to prove they can do it on opening day.  The Padres, added Xander Bogaerts and a healthy Fernando Tatis to a batting oxrder that run 93-games last year.

ANGELS…Shohei Ohtani crushes two 3R-home runs in Team Japan’s first spring training game a week out from the start of the World Baseball Classic.

CHARGERS…Some story about the NFL Players Association survey of players voting on their team’s training facility.  The Charger players buried the Spanos led team, ranking the Chargers 30th out of 32 in the NFL.  Condemned them for poor treatment of players’ families on game days; criticized them for poor nutrition plans in their facility. Downgraded the training staff to a nearly failing grade.  Berated the team for the quality of equipment in the training facility.  Not a very good report card.

RAMS…This sure looks like an off season of house cleaning  there.  Now they are releasing LB-Leonard Floyd on the heels of the axing of top tackler Bobby Wagner and the attempt to trade high price Jalen Ramsey, a cornerstone of their secondary.  Cap problems, injury problems, draft pick problems.  This is not the same team that won the Super Bowl two years ago.

CLIPPERS…Kawhi Leonard has taken a huge step forward in leadership and productivity in the push to finish in the top five playoff spots in teh West.  He and Paul George are so explosive.  But the arrival of Russell Westbrook has not changed much at all.

LAKERS…Dominant is the only way to describe the play of Anthony Davis of late, but how long can he keep it up, becuase his career timelines is big weeks followed by injuries.  The Lakers rebuilt bench has to show up every night since LeBron James’ return is still weeks away.

UCLA…Heads to the Pac 12-tourney ranked second in the country.  The post season experience of veerans Jaime Jacquez and Tygher Campbell means alot now heading towards the tournament.  Their starters play alot of minutes.  Can they continues that?

AZTECS…Don’t know how the national edia can ignore SDSU with all the success they have had in the Brian Dutcher era.  When talking about teams out west, they all mention UCLA and then Gonzaga.  Never a c comment on SDSU.  That only changes if State wins games in post season, something where they are (0-3) in the Dutcher era.

JOHN DEMOTT…Heavy hearts in the San Diego media.  Fun guy, John Demott has passed away in West Palm Beach, Florida, at age (80).  He worked radio and PA working in the 70s-80s in San Diego.  PA announcer for the Padres.  Did some Chargers radio play-by-play in the Air Coryell era.  Then moved to Florida some 30-years ago.
===============================

Please follow and like us: