Friday, June 30, 2023

Sports this 'n' that

 Earlier this season, Yankees pitcher Domingo German was suspended 10 games for a foreign substance on his hand or glove. Wednesday, German trended in the opposite direction. Then again, it was against Oakland, which beat the Yanks the night before.

German spun a perfect game on just 99 pitches, getting plenty of help from his defense. MLB's YouTube channel highlights all 27 outs recorded by German.


This was the first perfect game in MLB since Seattle's Felix Rodriguez did it against Tampa Bay in 2012.
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After retiring from the NFL, JJ Watt is moving to television.

After a Hall of Fame-worthy career in Houston & Arizona, Watt joins CBS' NFL Today this fall, which suggests to me that Nate Burleson, whom the network was hoping would be their answer to Michael Strahan over at Fox, since Burleson is also on CBS Mornings, will be leaving the Sunday panel. We'll know for sure come September 10.
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Mets owner Steve Cohen assured fans that manager Buck Showalter & GM Billy Eppler would remain through the end of the season, hoping the team can finally break out of its malaise that has seen them fall to 4th place in the NL East, 9 games below .500 after losing 3 of 4 to Milwaukee (The Brewers won the season series, 6-1), and threatening to fall out of contention. Fans are antsy, of course, but overreacting. Every team, individual players or as a whole, goes through slumps, and this is no exception.
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The All-Star Game takes place in Seattle July 11, and the starters were announced Thursday. To illustrate the utter ignorance of parochial fans, Yankees slugger Aaron Judge was voted in, despite the fact that he will likely not be able to play due to torn ligaments in his toe. The defending AL HR champ won't be back until probably September, if that.

The starters:

AL:

First base: Yandy Diaz, Tampa Bay.
Second base: Marcus Semien, Texas.
Shortstop: Corey Seager, Texas.
Third base: Josh Jung, Texas.
Catcher: Jonah Heim, Texas.
Outfield: Aaron Judge, Yankees, Randy Arozarena, Tampa Bay, & Mike Trout, Los Angeles.
Designated Hitter: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles.

NL:

First base: Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles.
Second base: Luis Arraez, Miami.
Shortstop: Orlando Arcia, Atlanta.
Third base: Nolan Arenado, St. Louis.
Catcher: Sean Murphy, Atlanta.
Outfield: Ronald Acuna, Jr., Atlanta, Mookie Betts, Los Angeles, Corbin Carroll, Arizona.
Designated Hitter: J. D. Martinez, Los Angeles.

Pitchers & reserves will be announced soon. Mets fans are hoping for Francisco Lindor to be named as a reserve, and for pitchers Max Scherzer & David Robertson to get a nod, though I doubt Scherzer, who was suspended earlier this season, will end up on the roster.
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It's a little weird knowing that three major US wrestling promotions are all out of the country this weekend.

WWE has Money in The Bank Saturday afternoon in London, England, after tonight's episode of Smackdown airs, likely on same-day tape. The live card tomorrow begins at 3 pm (ET). Impact Wrestling, formerly TNA, is in Australia today & tomorrow, and All Elite Wrestling is wrapping up a week of events in Canada that began with Forbidden Door last Sunday.

Everyone will be back stateside come Monday.

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