“Popping Off During Pandemic”

The sports world is trying to get up and running regardless of what is going on around them in society.

Some thoughts on sports storylines as we await the start.

PADRES ROSTER…The 30-man taxi squad list entails a mixture of AAA-players and some hot prospects.  The intangible part of including high draft picks and hot prospects like MacKenzie Gore, Ryan Weathers and Luis Campusano, is that they will be at Petco Park as Spring Training 2.0 start, and then likely head to the Peoria Sports Complex to continue working out and doing intrasquad games under the watchful eye of the staff.

PADRES DRAFT PICKS…Like every other club, how to start overseeing the training of 1st round pick OF-Robert Hassell and 2nd round choice Owen Caissie, remains to be seen.  MLB was considering allowing the formation of a young Arizona Fall League team to be headquartered at teams spring training sights, but has not signed off on that because of the resurge of positive cases nationwide.

MLB PROTOCOLS…The 101-page health manual for the restart is detailed and cumbersome, but it appears baseball has tried to cover every aspect of player’s returns and their responsibility in terms of off-field interaction with people once they leave the stadium.  Players self-isolation away from the field will be as critical as the testing they get when they report July 1st.

CHARGERS QUARTERBACKS…The potential return of QB-Colin Kaepernick to an NFL team seems to be out there on the horizon, and even if Coach Anthony Lynn said last week the team might take a look at him, I doubt it.  The Bolts had three years to setup a workout for Kaepernick, knowing full well they were moving on from Philip Rivers, and never did.  Now they have publicly voted that Tyrod Taylor is there starter, and they have the huge investment in Justin Herbert, the number 1-pick from Oregon.  No room at the Inn for Kaep, though he has to be viewed as a valued addition in places like New England, Baltimore, Arizona, Jacksonville, who need an insurance policy QB-who could play.

CHARGERS TRADE RUMOR…Not sure what to make of the rumor of a Bolts-Vikings trade, CB-Desmond King for OT-Riley Reiff.  Left tackles are hard to come by, so why would Minnesota move Reiff, unless it is a salary dump, because he can still play.  The Chargers have the space to take on a 13M-cap figure left tackle.  The Vikings would probably need a draft pick plus King to make this deal go.  King had the special 2018-season, but really fell in a subpar 2019 season.

AZTECS…The landscape of college football seems very unstable right now, just two weeks before SDSU is supposed to reopen campus to its football players as the second summer term is about to begin.  AD-John David Wicker is aware of the 37-positive tests in two weeks time at Clemson, the 32-at Texas Tech, and the fact Boise-Houston-Kansas State shutdown their facilities within a week of opening of them because of a flurry of tests.  Uneasy time.

LAKERS-CLIPPERS…Basketball in a bubble is about to start.  The Clippers report to the Orlando Bubble on July 8th, the Lakers on July 9th.  The two teams are scheduled to play each other in the opening day of the ‘seeding season’ on JUly 30th, the first of the 8-games each team plays to determine the final playoff slots before the play-in games begin.

NBA OPT OUTS…Busy week ahead to find out how many more players decide they won’t go to Orlando to take part in the re-start of the season.  Lakers G-Avery Bradley (8PPG) won’t be there because of family concerns.  The Lakers should be able to replace his quality of work if they do sign longtime NBA G-JR Smith to replace him.

NHL…Some weekend following the Friday NHL-Draft Lottery.  In a strange sports season, in a bizarre rule change, the worst teams did not get the top draft picks in the lottery, and all missed out on the chance to get the top Canadian players, high scoring LW-Alexis Lafreniere.  That’s because the NHL this year, had not only the non-playoff teams in the lottery, but somehow devised a formula that any of the 8-teams that lose first round playoff series could be eligible.  And when the lottery was done Friday, the “Placecard” was held open with the number 1-pick, when a playoff team wound up potentially with the 1st pick.  It means a second lottery is coming with the 8-teams that get knocked out of the opening round of the playoffs.  Nutsy way to do business.  Really unfair to the lowly teams like the Red Wings and Ottawa, who should be getting access to a generational player like Lafreniere.

KINGS-DUCKS…It worked out well for the teams out here.  The LA Kings, in the throes of a massive rebuild, went from the 7th worst record in the league, to getting the 2nd pick in the draft, and getting access to a plum of a player.  Then the Ducks wound up landing the 6th pick in the opening round and a chance to get a goal-scorer likely with that choice.

LEFTY IS RIGHT ON…Fabulous couple of days for 50-year old Phil Mickelson, going 64-63 and actually having the lead at the Traveller’s Championships in Connecticut before fading.  There are still some good rounds of golf left in the bag, though Mickelson has not won in awhile.

GOOD OLE BOYS…A week removed from the incidents at Talladega involving driver Bubba Wallace, kudos to Jimmie Johnson for triggering the most historic day in history.  At a drivers meeting on Sunday, after the ‘noose incident’ became public, Johnson stood up and said the 40-man field needed to show support for the black driver.  He came up with the idea of the drivers walking behind Wallace’s car to the front of Pit Row.  Then instantly, every pit crew member of every team, more than 200-lined up behind the drivers as they all walked to show support.  A special moment triggered by the driver from El Cajon.

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“Dodgers Baseball–World Series Sprint to Begin”

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They have a history of tradition.  The World Series legacy, stretching from old Ebbets Field to Chavez Ravine.

The 1st place finishes, the World Series pennants the rings.

The Dodgers are about to embark on trying to win another National League divisional title, and go back to the World Series again.  The Fall Classic where they have not won since 1988.

A talent laden roster with stars like Cody Bellinger, Mookie Betts and more.  A historically great pitching staff headed by Clayton Kershaw and Walker Beuhler, that now adds David Price.

A tradition of drawing 4M fans per game, though none will be at the Stadium to start the season.

Team President Andrew Friedman and Manager Dave Robefts talked about the opening of their camp-July 1st.

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(President Andrew Friedman)
We have to learn how to communicate on this-learning as we go.
Learning the Tier 1-category..Tier 2-interaction of others with team
We are not sure yet about Positive tests from any players
We have to develop a road map how to handle this
There is no playbook on this
We are still trying to lock down testing-we will stagger it
There are alot of unknowns-we will have alot of positive tests
How quickly we respond-treatment-quarantines
We must make it sure it does not spread among the group
Potential opt-out guys
This a very personal decision-players talk concern-scared-need to talk
Few conversations about concerned players wanting to learn
Will do zoom call next couple of days with players to revisit their feelings
60-game schedule for each team…30-guys each team
We are confident of players mindset-culture change with Dave and players
Our approach with talent and mindset possible
Taxi squad will be 3-players-but 1-must be catcher..they can travel with you on road
Alternate training sight practice at USC to start
Likely to send to Camelbank Ranch once USC opens
Have to balance the 30-taxi-will they be only reps they get
Last 3-weeks been roller coaster-we want to get back on the field
We felt incredibly good about our squad when we paused
We are in the cheap seats right now as we get going
Tons of logistical challenges we have had to work thru-clubhouse-travel-meals
What is different…30-players to start…injured players are ready
Facial masks in dugout for non playing
No description what MLB does about cancelled All Star game
Fill out player pool-balance depth-then figurte out which prospects need reps
Not sure ready to name all 60-players by Sunday
Human nature relive Dodgers-Astros 2017..not productive to think about-it’s 2020

(Manager Dave Roberts)
1st formal workout in July 3rd
Extra inning rule-positive-not put pitchers at harm’s way
No extra inning rule in the postseason
Our roster is so versatile-we play both sides of the baseball
Dodgers baseball fits the DH-role well
Players need to do their own homework on virtual meetings
Training staff will have to handle players differently
We will be safe as baseball limits time in clubhouse
Conversations day by day
Roster built 162-games-trophy dash schedule-
Adding DH gives us a real 10-man lineup-taps into our depth
Bench more than capable to take on different matchups
Players self police-Strategy is upfront and honest-
Diligent educating ourselves…take this seriously
This is out of hands-take care of our business
My emotions-tread lightly-be nimble-this is unpredictable-unprecedented
We have to deal with a wider lens-this is just not about baseball.
My own personal risk-via cancer-not at any higher risk-I am confident
People with prior cancer history not been at any higher risk
We have short quick ramp-up…full workouts vs staggered schedule
Envision alot of live practices then intrasquad..alot of BPs
OF-Joc Pederson is ready to play post-surgery
P-Jimmy Nelson is here in LA-working out-don’t know if he is a full go
We need to see how much volume players have taken on in rampup.

The 1st place Dodgers…to the last place Orioles….everybody will be ready by the July 1st reporting date.

But to think anything by a possible Dodgers-Yankees throwback World Series would be not paying attention to the talent, the rosters, the leadership

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“Baseball–Won’t Be the Same”

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Baseball teams head back to spring training camp on July 1st.

Who knows what the health of the US will look like in a week.  This week has not brought good news as Covid positive tests and hospitalizations have rocketed.

Baseball will surely look different starting next week, with a 60-game schedule, a rebuilt schedule, increased rosters, rule changes and more.

There will be intensive Covid testing next week, deep nasal, blood tests, temperature checks once they report to Petco Park, and then daily testing each day of spring training.  Positive tests have shown up at spring  camps in Florida and Arizona, so there are some infections out there.

What happens when you bring 30-major league players and 30-taxi squad players together, no one knows.

Everyone will be watching the Padres, Dodgers, Angels and all the other teams as baseball opens.

The NBA was the first to come up with a plan, the bubble playoff plan in Orlando, but that is in jeopardy, considering the  huge jump in positive tests in Florida as ICU’s fillup in the Sunshine State.

The NHL is about to name the 2-hub cities that will host their playoffs, possibly Las Vegas and Edmonton.  They don’t open camp in hockey till July 10th, but the numbers in Nevada are spiiking up and they just ordered everyone to wear masks in Las Vegas.

And then there is the NFL, a crisis awaiting, where more questions about how to bring 90-players and 60-employees into facilities for 5-weeks of training camps.  The NFL was so stoic in saying, we will play games and fans will attend, now has to face different realities.

Tampa Bay, Dallas, Houston are among the teams with positive tests popping up involving players and training staffs.

Now the NFL is deciding, no early rookie camps in late July, camps opening in August.  Cut backs in the number of preseason games.  And now the NFL is considering less than 100% stadium attendance, including putting tarps with advertisements up on lower bowl seats.

And who knows about college football, when you consider the positive tests that spilled out  at LSU, Clemson, Florida State, Houston, Boise State, creating havoc.  And the pandemic driven questions about how to protect 105-players in each college camp.

So when they yell ‘play ball’ at Petco Park,there will be alot of uncertainty  about baseball but everyone else in sports will be paying attention.

Nothing it seems will be the same in all these sports starting next week.

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“Baseball is Back-With All It’s Problems”

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Here comes baseball, back effective July 1st for Spring Training Camp 2.0…and then in late July for what they hope will be a 60-game season.

No one knows what this summer will be like, because the horrors of the Corona Virus sit atop the baseball standings.

Baseball wasted 6-weeks of a potential schedule with the war between Owners and the Union.

So we have a 60-game schedule, the DH added to the National League, a 30-man roster, and a bunch of rule changes for extra inning games.

But we don’t have any control of what the virus is doing, where all time daily highs reached 23-states on Tuesday.

And there is no labor peace either, just a lot of ill-will, and the threat of a 1B-dollar grievance still looming out there because of the obstinance of the Union and the beliggerance of the Owners.

Someone will have to explain to me how the Players Association would turn down 300M in extra benefits, thru salary, playoff bonuses, increase TV playoff money, the dropping of the 16-team playoff format, that would have raised even more shared money…..this after all the offers from the hated owners and after all the weeks of animosity.

They also gave up something huge, the dropping of draft pick compensation next winter for the 200-free agents out there.

They did all that so they could retain the right to file a grievance against the owners once the season is over to seek bigger damages and paydays.

2-sports lawyers I spoke to do not believe the Union has a chance to win the grievance, regardless of what Union boss Tony Clark or super-agent Scott Boras believe.

So now we have a 60-game schedule for the Padres.  40-games against the enemy in the NL-West and 20-games against the 5-teams in the AL-West, their geographical rivals.

Nobody will have a chance if they start (1-10) this season.  No one survives if key pitching gets hurt early in the season because of the disjointed spring training.

The Padres would have had a great shot at a wildcard playoff slot if there were 16-teams in the postseason, but playing in a West Division that involves the Dodgers, Astros, A’s, Angels might make it hard for San Diego to be a top five team in a 10-team division…much less at top 10-team in the 30-team league..

This will be a strange year in baseball.  You won’t even have to put an *asterisk next to the standings.  Just mention the year ‘2020’ and people will never forget the summer of hell.

A troubled baseball season is ahead, in a country with troubles everywhere off the field.

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‘NASCAR–Gold Ole Boys Come Together’

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It was something we seldom see happen in sports, unless there is a tragedy.

Not since baseball’s return in the aftermath of 9/11 and the Twin Towers tragedy, have I seen anything like this.

The Good Ole Boys, what they call the gang of NASCAR drivers, came together in a show of support for African American driver Bubba Wallace, hours after a ‘noose’ was found hanging in his garage on Sunday night at Talladega Speedway in Alabama.

An emotionally overwhelmed Wallace wept as he stood by his car with owner Richard Petty before the race.

Wallace was asked in a drivers meeting to pull his car out of line and drive to the front of pit row.

He did, as they unveiled a painted ‘Black Lives Matter’ logo on the infield…”I Stand With Bubba” sign was painted..

Then the 40-drivers on the starting grid walked behind Wallace’s car to the front of pit row.  And then every crew member of all 40-NASCAR teams lined up and followed the drivers to the front of the row standing with Wallace.

The young black driver, who hails from Alabama, just 2-weeks ago sounded off that NASCAR should ban the Confederate flags that fans would bring into the stands.  They did.

Some drivers spoke out, most said nothing.

But this was different, as Wallace became the face of the sports protest, only to have the incident in the garage take place after Sunday’s race was rained out.

The outpouring of emotion was everywhere.  Drivers hugged Wallace before he climbed into the car.  The scene on pit row will be a sports picture of a lifetime.

The unity in that sport, its roots dating back to the ole South of the 1940s will carry on now.

The story will not go away.  FBI officials, Department of Justice officials and the ACLU lawyers arrived at the track early Monday morning to take part in the probe.  It will be treated as a ‘hate crime’

The garage area, always heavily manned by security, has cameras everywhere, so whomever hung the noose in the garage of car #43 will be found.

Traditions die hard in Dixie.  Discrimination, beatings, fire hoses, bombs, lynchings, KuKluxKlan meetings may have been snuffed out but the inbred culture of racism still exists.  Sunday night showed that.

Monday at noon told a different story.

White America, on the NASCAR circuit, is joined at one to not only support Bubba Wallace, but to help change culture.

The Good Ole Boys made a straight from the heart statement on pit row just before the race.

Society needs to take a closeup look at what happened.

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