Two cloying realities confronted Major League Baseball as the 2020 playoffs reached the League Championship Series. –One was the lingering odor of scandal-not-really-resolved — the Houston Astros’ schemes for stealing signs in the 2017 and 2018 World Series and the involvement of players — none of whom were punished. –The other issue was the awkwardness […]

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If ever the Dodgers needed a strong performance from Julio Urias, tonight is the night. As far back as 2016, when the Mexican left-hander made his Major League debut at the age of 19, Urias was on the periphery of “key Dodgers”. But a variety of setbacks retarded his advancement to that inner circle.

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I need the Lakers to close out the NBA Finals tonight. Because I have money on them? Because I have become a fan of LeBron James? Because I can’t stand to see them lose? Nope. I need them to win so I can get a little sleep. A downside for an American living in France? […]

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Well, here we are. A city, a metropolitan center that had to be content (in terms of the Big Four professional sports leagues) with a couple of Stanley Cup championships over the previous decade. Now, L.A. finds out if its favorite two clubs can win titles in the same month. Los Angeles is overrun by […]

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Potentially making an “ass” out of “u” and “me.” In March of 2012, the Guggenheim Group announced it was buying the Los Angeles Dodgers from the unpopular Frank McCourt for more than $2 billion — making it, at the time, the most expensive change of ownership in professional sports history. Any time, anywhere. If you […]

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What a great time to be an Angels fan. A well-rounded team, a first World Series, one of the great comebacks in baseball history, leading to a championship. The key game was Game 6, at Anaheim Stadium, I filed a comment piece. Here it is, under the headline: “Angels create an instant classic; Commentary: Game […]

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Generally, when I hear about an athlete getting a contract with lots of years and enormous numbers, I heave a sigh. “He can’t possibly be worth all that money.” And generally the athlete is not. Teams get excited and offer big deals based on last season, or the last few seasons, and give insufficient attention […]

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We have far more serious things to worry about than the future of Major League Baseball. A pandemic, for example. The growing threat of climate catastrophe. Etc. But we can make a little room on the side for ball, which still likes to be known as the national pastime, even if it has been eclipsed […]

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Baseball is on the way back, we were told this week. “Spring” training camps will open on July 1, a 60-game mini-regular-season will begin play on or about July 24, and the World Series will finish no later than October 28. The NBA’s plan for a return-to-play “bubble” in Orlando was made public on June […]

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Let us take a moment and indulge in some alternative prep sports history. I have been thinking about a particular high school baseball game since May 11 of 1971, when it was played. It was the final game of the season, and of my organized baseball career. Had we won, on our home field at […]

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