Good morning, all! It’s hump day!
That didn’t take long. An 0-3 start has led New York Giants coach Brian Daboll to dump veteran Russell Wilson as quarterback and go with first round draft choice Jaxson Dart. Is it a panic move? Yes, but as I explain in the above video and podcast, Daboll doesn’t really care. He has a job to save and it’s not Wilson’s.
Here are some other thoughts, as MLB continues its technological march:
It is the greatest comeback by a club in MLB history. The Cleveland Guardians are now tied for first place with the Detroit Tigers and hold the tie breaker in the AL Central, after last night’s 5-2 victory over Detroit. The Guardians have won 11 of their last 12, but here are the numbers on which to chew. On July 8, Cleveland trailed Detroit by 15.5 games. On Aug. 25 they were 12.5 games behind the Tigers and on Sept. 4 they were 11 games out. No team has been that far behind this late in a season and finished in first place. The Guardians now have that chance. It is an amazing story.
The Guardians are not the only club that have turned their season around, so have the defending AL Champion Yankees, who rallied for two runs in the ninth to beat the Chicago White Sox, 3-2, last night to qualify for the playoffs. New York also moved to within one game of the first place Blue Jays, who lost to Boston, 4-1. At 89-68, the Yankees are now a season-high 21 games over .500 and in the last month have gone 20-8. During that same period Cleveland has gone 21-8 and Detroit 7-19. As Yogi once said: “It ain’t over, ‘till it’s over.”
MLB has announced via its Joint Competition Committee it will utilize the Automated Ball-Strike Challenge system beginning in 2026. Each team will get two challenges per game. The full rule is explained at this link. This is a good move. ABS is accurate. The system has been used in some minor leagues, spring training and the All-Star game. Only a pitcher, catcher or batter will be allowed to challenge a call. This is not a knock on umpires but sometimes they do get the call wrong. The technology is there. Use it.
You knew the other shoe would drop on Oklahoma St. football coach Mike Gundy, after his team lost to Tulsa last weekend. After 21 years as the Cowboys head coach, Gundy was given the pink slip on Tuesday. Do not feel too bad for him. The school owes Gundy $15M. He had a record of 170-90.
Well that didn’t take long. Sandy Brondello has been fired as head coach of the New York Liberty one year after leading the team to the WNBA title.
Former Cowboys great Emmitt Smith says he would consider running the NFLPA.
Because of rain in Thursday’s forecast, the opening ceremony for the Ryder Cup will be held today at Bethpage in Farmingdale, NY at 4 p.m. Golf Channel will televise.
Playing at the open-air George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, FL this season because the Trop had its roof torn away, the Tampa Bay Rays did not have one game rained out.
Entering Tuesday night’s big game against the Detroit Tigers, the Cleveland Guardians had allowed just 28 runs in their last 18 games, the lowest total of any MLB club.
That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Have a terrific Wednesday and thank you for subscribing.
DAN
