1-Man’s Opinion on Sports-Friday. “Weekend thoughts about these teams”
==========
“What I See on a Weekend”
==========
PADRES…A small sample size, but I like the ‘Bulldog’ I see in the styles of Dylan Cease and Michael King. Now we wait to see if we can get Joe Musgrove back on beam and hope Yu Darvish’s neck issues are not major. Worried about overuse of the relief corps, need to find a way not to use them back to back days.
DODGERS..Top of the batting order superb. Bottom four a mystery of failures. Starting staff a bit thin with the nagging injuries, but Walker Beuhler looks ready to return. Long season but what a start for Mookie Betts and spots 1-thru-5 in that batting order.
ANGELS…Think they have an ace coming in Reid Detmer, who had a (1.04-ERA) thru three starts. But not much after that. Anthony Rendon started to hit after 3-years of injuries. Maybe the boos will stop. Mike Trout is Mike Trout, hitting home runs and all. Hope he stays healthy.
CHARGERS..Fascinating rumors. Would they do this? Trade out of #5 and extract a big price so a team could draft a QB? The teams calling include the enemy. Would they trade with Denver or the Raiders within the division if they could get a haul in return? Stay tuned. By the way, new GM-Joe Hortiz…’I have final say on draft picks and trades’. Not the coach.
RAMS..First time in ages they have had a #1 pick. They must find a way to replace legendary DT-Aaron Doald. Need pass rush help. Think Liatu Latu-UCLA might be their pick if still on the board.
RAIDERS…Interesting Antonio Pierce talks alot of players, deals, quarterbacks. Incoming GM-Tom Telesco went public, ‘I have control of the roster’.
AZTECS..They unveil the new look offense, the new QBs, the load of wide receiver transfers and all things coach Sean Lewis on Saturday at Snapdragon Stadium in the spring football game. They think 6,000-fans might show up. That’s a good start in terms of rebuilding the fan support.
USD…Finally a deal to put together something that looks like an NIL support program for football and basketball. They have good coaches, who need help to get good players.
LAKERS…The big money superstars, LeBron James and Anthony Davis, having Superman seasons, and now they are heading to Denver to start the playoffs. Can these guys hold up to playing 42 minutes a night in a short five game series. Going to be hard, especially knowing the Nuggets have beaten them 8-games in a row. Denver has firepower and altitude on their side.
CLIPPERS…So banged up, now they have to go to Dallas to face the Mavs with an ailing Kawhi Leonard. Might not survive the series and this was a team that hoped they could get to the NBA West finals.
KINGS..With all that firepower, but with suspect goaltending, they squeeze into the NHL playoffs. Now they have to prove they can survive Edmonton and others in the opening rounds. This will be a disappointment if they cannot win a series.
DUCKS..Awfully long season but in the final game in Las Vegas, they put all their young draft picks on the ice together. That is the future and it is so hard to play so many 21-and-under players together. I keep thinking we will wake up one morning and all this losing will mean they hit on all their high draft picks and they start winning. But they are so so young. Wonder if they trade goalie John Gibson for a haul of picks or players, now that young goalie Luka Dostal has proven he can play at this level.
GULLS..A 50-loss season. So painful here in San Diego, much like what’s going on in Anaheim. Had hoped bright light coach Matt McIlvane would be a hit, but the Ducks kept virtually all the top young players up top and the AHL team just did not have much firepower. Another non playoff season.
OH I WISH. Here the Arizona Coyotes team gets sold, and moves to Salt Lake City. Wish Stan Kroenke had gotten here earlier to San Diego. But maybe his blueprint is build the Arena first, and then bid for a franchise when expansion happens sometime around 2027-28.
=========================
