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“Thinking Outside the Box-On a Tuesday”

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Padres….Wouldn’t it be nice if the Padres stopped trading veteran players having good seasons? The young kids are playing better, and a veteran starting staff has had more good starts lately than bad ones, and the bullpen has found its niche and role. Why trade Brad Hand, Brandon Mauer, Jhoulys Chacin or Travor Cahill. The Padres have added 110-young players to the organization thru the draft and international free agency since June lst of 2016. How many more young players do you need to develop? How poor will this season and next be, if you move more veterans off a fairly young roster?

Chargers….The building is almost empty and you ache when you drive by it, Chargers Park in Mission Valley. Be prepared for emptiness a week from now when NFL training cmaps open, and we have no team to watch, nor talk about. You do remember the days of the open training camp in the Pacific Breeze on the UCSD-campus?

Aztecs….They are the only team in town now, and yet they continue to do business in a strange way. SDSU is holding its football media day on Thursday, with players given access to TV and newspaper working media. But Coach Rocky Long and his staff won’t be part of it. Makes no sense, when you have a captured media in attendance, not to flood them with every possible interview guest you can, especially with a vibrant quote a minute guy like Long..

Lakers…A fascinating two weeks in the Las Vegas Summer League, the growth of Lonzo Ball as their lead guard…the sharp-shooting of Kyle Kouzma, the Utah rookie…and the discovery of explosive guard Vander Blue. They still need help with veterans on the roster though aside from the importing of C-Brook Lopez..

Clippers…Weeks ago Jerry West said ‘changes are painful-but you have to make changes’, and so he did with the Chris Paul-blockbuster trade to the Houston Rockets. He got firepower in guards Pat Beverly and Lou Williams…a 3-point shooter in Sam Dekker and then imported Dino Gallinari and his offense from Denver. It will be a very different team, more athletic, a bit younger.

Gulls…They didn’t lose their coach, but they lost their goaltender if the off season deals. Dallas Eakins did interview last week for the Arizona Coyotes-NHL job that went to Rick Tocchett, and has bypassed the chance to go be an NHL assistant. But as he returns, they lose goalie Jhonas Enroth, who is headed to the KHL to play in Russia this season. The Gulls will get 30-year old goalie Rito Berra, a former Florida Panther, who played in Switzerland last year.

Golf..Phil Mickelson looks sharp in practice rounds at Royal Birkdale. Can he string 4-rounds in a row to win the British Open this week in Southampton.

Horse Racing..The summer racing season kicks into gear at Delmar this week, with Bob Baffert’s stables showing off Arrowgate in what promises to be a couple of weeks of entertainment where the Turf meets the Surf.

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“Lakers Fans-Having a Ball-Lakers Find a Baller”

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He is humble, he is vibrant, he is selfless, he is exceptional.

Lonzo Ball has given a good accounting of himself for the Lakers, as they get ready to play in the NBA Summer League championship game in Las Vegas.

Take away opening game jitters, and that (2-15) shooting night, you have seen enormous upside in the 2nd pick in the draft.

He is averaging 16 points a game….7-rebounds and 8-assists per game.

His all-court vision and his rifle passes to any and all teammates is spectacular.

His quickness and his length to create plays off the dribble has been exceptional.

He is not a complete player, but then again, at age 19, who is?

His shooting percentage is in the 37% range, but this is just the first time he’s matched up with some NBA rookies.

He gets lost on defense, has not shown the ability to physically fight thru picks, and seems a step or two slow on pick and rolls.

But then again, he is a 1-and-done player who got his first taste of big time competition and really overwhelmed foes in the Pac 12-Conference.

His conditioning seems above the line, and he has averaged almost 32-minutes a game with the Lakers rookie.

His biggest challenge, will his unorthodox jump shot, fired from chest high, become an issue when he starts to play against the big boys? And that promises to be a real challenge against fast twitch and physical defenders he will be facing in the association.

And yes, it is against summer league competition, most guys he is beating won’t be in anyone’s camp come September.

But it’s a start, and it’s not just Lonzo as the storyline on the Lakers.

Big forward Kyle Kozma is averaging 24 a game. Vander Blue has come out of nowhere to get a contract, and is averaging 17 a game.

So the Lakers look forward to camp, with possibly 3-hot rookies to join the young vets on the roster, Brandon Ingram, Larry Nance, Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson.

It’s too early to say ‘Showtime’ is back, because Lonzo has yet to lineup against Chris Paul, James Harden and all the other firepower guys in the NBA.

But the explosive plays have been spectacular to see, and the noise from his father is seemingly gone too. Positives all the way around.

Lakers fans are having a ball. And the Lakers look like they have drafted a baller.

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“Lakers Fans-Having a Ball-Lakers Find a Baller”

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“Lakers Fans Having a Ball-Lakers Have Drafted a Baller”

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He is humble, he is vibrant, he is selfless, he is exceptional.

Lonzo Ball has given a good accounting of himself for the Lakers, as they get ready to play in the NBA Summer League championship game in Las Vegas.

Take away opening game jitters, and that (2-15) shooting night, you have seen enormous upside in the 2nd pick in the draft.

He is averaging 16 points a game….7-rebounds and 8-assists per game.

His all-court vision and his rifle passes to any and all teammates is spectacular.

His quickness and his length to create plays off the dribble has been exceptional.

He is not a complete player, but then again, at age 19, who is?

His shooting percentage is in the 37% range, but this is just the first time he’s matched up with some NBA rookies.

He gets lost on defense, has not shown the ability to physically fight thru picks, and seems a step or two slow on pick and rolls.

But then again, he is a 1-and-done player who got his first taste of big time competition and really overwhelmed foes in the Pac 12-Conference.

His conditioning seems above the line, and he has averaged almost 32-minutes a game with the Lakers rookie.

His biggest challenge, will his unorthodox jump shot, fired from chest high, become an issue when he starts to play against the big boys? And that promises to be a real challenge against fast twitch and physical defenders he will be facing in the association.

And yes, it is against summer league competition, most guys he is beating won’t be in anyone’s camp come September.

But it’s a start, and it’s not just Lonzo as the storyline on the Lakers.

Big forward Kyle Kozma is averaging 24 a game. Vander Blue has come out of nowhere to get a contract, and is averaging 17 a game.

So the Lakers look forward to camp, with possibly 3-hot rookies to join the young vets on the roster, Brandon Ingram, Larry Nance, Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson.

It’s too early to say ‘Showtime’ is back, because Lonzo has yet to lineup against Chris Paul, James Harden and all the other firepower guys in the NBA.

But the explosive plays have been spectacular to see, and the noise from his father is seemingly gone too. Positives all the way around.

Lakers fans are having a ball. And the Lakers look like they have drafted a baller.

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“NFL-It’s Always About the Money”

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The NFL gets richer and its franchises keep adding value. A way of life in pro football thanks for their TV contracts.

The Chargers, Rams and Raiders, were all formally updated from the leagu eoffice about the price tag to move into a new market.

It is costing the Chargers and Rams (645M) each to move into Los Angeles. The payments will be spread out over an 11-year period.

It will cost the Raiders (378M) to leave Oakland, heading to Las Vegas, again with payments spread out over the next decade.

Each NFL will get a big check thanks to the relocation. 30-clubs will each get 55M as their share of the Chargers-Rams transfers.

The Raiders move gives the other 31-teams an additional payday of just over (12M)

Meanwhile the decision by Team Spanos to play home games in the Stub Hub Center at Carson, will cost them additional money.

Because of weather delays in Inglewood, the Chargers will spend 3-full seasons in the 30,000-seat soccer stadium.

NFL sources say that move means the Chargers will likely see gross revenue from their 10-home games drop by 33M per year over the next 3-seasons. That’s 99M less in total income over the next three seasons, compared to had they stayed in San Diego.

Sources say the Chargers will not get all the parkingconcession revenues either….both of those money slots going to Carson for the rental.

In addition, averaging 30,000 per home game, rather than the accustomed 65,000-they would normally get at Qualcomm Stadium, means another big dropoff in revenue weekly.

The Chargers also had to write a check of 12M as the payoff of their Stadium-Chargers Park lease also.

And Spanos reportedly burned thru (15M) over the last group of years, trying to design a new stadium and for the failed ballot measure on the downtown stadium.

Of course the move of the team was all about driving the value of the franchise up, once they move into a new stadium in 2020.

Anybody want to bet by 2020, Team Spanos will have put the franchise up for sale and will exit the NFL? Why?

Oh by the way, anybody ever-ever believe the words of Roger Goodell, or influential owners like Bob Kraft-Bob McNail-Jerry Jones, when they keep mentioning words “we care about the home markets”? The home markets, the ones who lost their franchises in the middle of the night.

Because the NFL is always about the money, even for owners who are losers.

The Spanos family had only 12-winning seasons in 33-years in San Diego…but they will get a big payday going away.

Ain’t America great?

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Baseball-Mid Season Report Card”

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We start the 2nd half of the season on Friday night, and it promises to be a dogfight for postseason playoff spots. Yes the Dodgers and Astros are dominating the two leagues, but the races are wide open virtually everywhere else, and that could mean 7-teams fighting for the wildcard slots heading into the final weeks of the season. The surprises and disappointments follow.

(SURPRISES)

Arizona….A real bounce back season…Maybe health more than anything else…Zack Grienke is back to form…Robbie Ray is no longer a suspect-prospect but a solid frontline arm…Paul Goldschmidt remains a star…A ton of relievers…Wondering how good they would be if AJ Pollock could stay healthy and Yasmani Tomas could put together a 50-game spurt.

Rockies…Some first half by Bud Black…In first place for an extended chunk of the season, though a June swoon knocked them down a notch….But Black did this with half a pitching staff…Now Jon Gray his ace is back from the foot injury, and there is hope Chad Bettis might return to from cancer treatments…Big question, can they continue to play well with half a season to go?

Yankees…Aaron Judge has driven them up the standings, but they have spurts where lots of other guys can hit home runs too…They stayed in the pennant race despite a bunch of nagging health issues with pitching, and some struggles out of the bullpen…Don’t think we have seen the complete Yankees team yet.

Astros…They’ve been building towards this, and are now on a pace for 109-wins-some accomplishment when you consider they lost 305-games over 3-years while tearing the franchise down….The batting order will mash, and that could makeup for some shortcomings because of injuries to the pitching staff…They hit everywhere, from Minute Maid Park to your yard too.

Nationals…Lots of firepower and some solid starting pitching…Bounceback year for Ryan Zimmerman has been a plus and the emergence of Treu Turner has been special…Look for them to make a deal to get a key player at the trading deadline too…In need of a reliever and maybe an insurance policy starter.

(DISAPPOINTMENTS)

Cubs…They are surely not what we saw last year…The pitching staff looks worn out, from Jon Lester to Jake Arietta to John Lackey…All those innings may have taken a toll….Yes the Rizzo-Bryant chunk of the batting order can be dangerous, but it’s not as dominant as a year ago…Something is missing-chemistry-leadership-fire…Ben Zobrist-Jason Heyward-guys who left…it’s just not the same team.

Red Sox…Yes they are chasing for top spot in the AL-East, but they miss David Ortiz…and David Price and Rick Porcello are not dominating as they were a year ago…Still time for them to rally to join Chris Sale for what could be the best Big 3-in anyone’s rotation…The Bosox can slug..can they pitch?

Giants..Maybe we should have seen this coming…Pitching staff falters…..Injuries tear apart the lineup….no next young star coming out of the farm system…But to go from 3-World Series rings to dead last in the division is a shocker….May need to rebuild shortly.

Mets…The Tabloids are going crazy about the organization, the leaders, the players, the training staff…but this failure is nothing more than injury driven….They’ve had 6-of their top 7-pitchers go down with injuries and suspensions…David Wright never came back…and nagging injuries to key bats have withered the roster…Wait till next year to get all the arms back on the mound.

Orioles…All bats, no arms, and a prime example of what happens when this team stops hitting…Bump in the road for Buck Showalter, though they have to come up with more arms if Chris Tillman is no longer what he used to be because of ailments…Still think they have a hot streak in them, just don’t think they have enough pitching.

Cardinals…For the first time in a long time, just not the same franchise…Lots of mileage of the pitching staff….maybe too many miles on veteran everyday players…Injuries to Dex Fowler, the loss of free agent Matt Holliday and pitching ailments have taken a toll.

(TEAMS IN TOWN)

Dodgers….Spectacular sprint to the All Star break, winning 26-of-30, and doing it with ailments to Adrian Gonzalez and Justin Turner….Enough starting pitching to compliment the (14-2) Clayton Kershaw….Still no consistent contribution from Yasiel Puig, but that is off set by the Young Lions that Cody Bellinger and Corey Seager have become…Might there be a trade still to come to add another arm to that staff?

Angels…Drifting thru mediocrity…That’s what the franchise has become, saddled with the Albert Pujols contract and the wasted money on past big deals that blewup in their face, Josh Hamilton, Jered Weaver and CJ Wilson. For them to hang around .500 is somewhat of a tribute with Mike Trout having missed 39-games with injury…Likely no sighting of Matt Shoemaker and Garrett Richards in the coming months and who knows about their future health either? A faltering farm system hasn’t helped .

Padres….They had a horrible start, but since have gone (23-20), with an array of young kids showing flashes in the lineup…but offense on a night to night basis is a challenge….The run differential is a disgrace….and now they seem prepared to deal away what quality pitching they have on the roster…Brad Hand-Brandon Mauer-and the journeyman starters….I projected (60-102), and it could be worse if they dump all their pitching, but they have building blocks with Perdomo-Lamet-Renfroe-Hedges-Meyers-Cordoba-Margot. It’s a starting point..

The second half starts on Friday. Enjoy it.

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