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Beggars can't be choosers, I know. But I'd rather see 9-5 than 3-1 any day of the week. But that's just me. Some folks like to sit through a tense pitcher's duel where there are only four runs scored. Maybe it's just the sound of the ball meeting the bat that I like, I don't know. But give me 9-5 over 3-1.
The loss of Means isn't devastating or anything like that. The Orioles, after all, won 101 games last year and did nearly all of that without Means in the rotation. And the same goes for this year. He made a few starts, sure, but he wasn't part of the first two months of the season for the most part.
That said, a healthy John Means -- and I realize there's an oxymoron in there -- could have been a big help over the rest of 2024. He's that crafty-lefthander type that can really be effective against lefty-heavy lineups.
You don't have to like the Yankees. And I certainly don't. But you do have to admit baseball, in general, is much more entertaining when one of the two New York teams are in the hunt after Labor Day. And for my money, it's the Yankees who stir the drink up there.
Pat C. asks -- "Hi Drew, here's a question for your mailbag column. I've been watching the U.S. Women's Open tournament and the announcers keep talking about how difficult the course plays and you're seeing all the superstars making 5's and 6's (and a 10!) and some of them won't make the cut. So I'm curious. Why do they make the course so hard for the women? Is it going to be the same way for the men in a few weeks?"
DF says -- "It's the national women's golf championship. It's supposed to be hard. The USGA once had a very famous -- and accurate -- statement when they were criticized for their course set up and it was suggested they were trying to embarrass the best players in the world.
Once a year, I think it's perfectly reasonable to grow the rough, narrow the fairways, make the greens firm (if the weather cooperates) and challenge the players (men and women) to think "par first, birdie second", which is generally what happens at the U.S. Open.
And, yes, the set-up at Pinehurst in two weeks is going to be very similar, if not a shade more difficult. And that course is much different than Lancaster. It will present its own set of unique challenges, most of which have to do with iron play, ball striking, and keeping the ball on the putting surface."
Connor Sleight asks -- "Can you help settle a friendly golf debate? Other than Caves Valley and Baltimore Country Club, is there another course in the Baltimore area that could host a professional men's golf tournament and hold up to the PGA Tour players? Thanks Drew."
DF says -- "No, there isn't. That doesn't mean there aren't some high quality golf courses in the area. We have a bunch. But there isn't a course around other than those two that would "hold up" in a PGA Tour event.
Honestly, Baltimore Country Club wouldn't hold up if they played a TOUR stop there. That club has two dozen or more "plus handicap" players who routinely break par on the East Course. The PGA Tour players would have a field day with it.
Caves Valley was eaten alive by the TOUR when they played the BMW there a few years back. I think 28 or 29 under par was the four-day total for DeChambeau and Cantlay. But it's still a demanding course when the weather cooperates and it plays fast and firm.
The only other area course that could potentially challenge PGA Tour players would be Bulle Rock in Havre de Grace. And even that, I'm afraid, would be a birdie-thon over four days. As we just saw with the PGA Championship at Valhalla, these guys just hit the ball too freakin' far.
Steve in Hunt Valley asks -- "DF, as a longtime Blast fan in the 1980's and 1990's, I always think about June 8 because that's the day the Blast beat the Steamers for the championship in 1984. I'm just curious: What really happened with Keith Van Eron playing Game 5 at home instead of Scott Manning? What's the real behind the scenes story? Manning was amazing in the two games in St. Louis and then Cooper played Van Eron in Game 5. Why?"
I never really asked Scott about this, even though we were obviously close when he played for the team and then he and I were members together at Eagle's Nest until a couple of years ago when he moved to South Carolina.
But my guess is he was fatigued after two grueling games in St. Louis. And in the back of his mind, he might have thought, "I'll rest on Friday (Game 5). If we somehow lose, I'm good to go for Game 6 (Sunday) and Game 7 (Wednesday) if necessary."
We also knew the series was over after that 5-4 overtime win in Game 4 in St. Louis. Everyone knew it, including the Steamers. Scott had assumed the #1 goalkeeping duties from Keith that season. It had been a tough year for Van Eron. So, maybe Scott wanted things to end well for Keith, which is why Manning told Cooper he didn't want to play Game 5 at home."
The golf course is one of America's treasures. It's considered the best of the best of the Donald Ross designs, with small, undulating greens and run-off areas that make it difficult to keep the ball on the putting surface unless you're a sublime ball striker.
Analysts and those trying to predict the outcome and the top finishers are looking at the obvious stats: shots gained approach, shots gained tee to green, and shots gained putting. The winner will likely be highly ranked in all three of those areas.
#10, Will Zalatoris -- OK, so we're going with a bit of an odd-duck right out of the gate. Zalatoris has two flaws that don't bode well for major championships. He doesn't hit the ball all that straight off the tee. And he's a very inconsistent putter.
That said, if there was ever a place where those two things might not matter all that much, it's at Pinehurst. The "rough" at Pinehurst isn't really tall, thick grass like you seen at nearly every other "green" golf course in the country. The rough there is more like a sandy, wispy grass area that often times provides you a favorable lie and angle into the green.
You know three of them: The moon landing didn't happen. The 9-11 attacks were a "government job". And the Sandy Hook school shooting was actually a bunch of actors paid by anti-gun people to produce a horrific scene that gave them leverage.
"Playing like this and winning like this is what they did last year and then we they need to ramp it up in the playoffs they couldn't do it. The same thing is going to happen this year. They're going to win 102 games and then choke in October again."
"The Rangers didn't even make the playoffs until the last week of the season last year. Remember, they lost a bunch of games late and almost didn't make it. But they were playing do or die baseball in September and it carried over to October. We strolled into the playoffs and got hammered."
The team that barely scrapes their way into the playoffs suddenly can't lose when the post-season begins. Their playoffs began weeks before the season ended, when they had to win, win and win some more just to stay alive. Then, once the post-season began, it didn't feel any different to them.
I once had a maniac call me on the radio the morning after the Ravens beat Houston in the playoffs and said, with a straight face, "I hope they go up to New England and do something different this weekend or we're in trouble."
"Do something different?" I said. "You mean, like lose? They just beat the Texans in the playoffs and you hope they go to New England and do something "different" --- because what they just didn't wasn't good enough?"
I wasn't quite as maniacal last night with Chris. It was over text, for starters, and I'm not as invested in sports today as I was 13 years ago when I got that call. I don't get worked up about things like I used to, I guess.
Real Madrid enters as the heavy favorites according to the betting odds, which have them at -330 to win their unprecedented 15th cup. The Spanish giants are by far the most decorated club in this tournament and have dominated this century with five Champions League titles in the last decade, most recently in 2022.
This game will serve as a send off for Real Madrid and German legend Toni Kroos, who has announced his retirement at the end of the season. A Champions League title would be a fitting end for a player that has won everything there is to win in global soccer and remains a lynchpin of perhaps the best team in Europe.
Real Madrid began their Champions League journey by rolling through a relatively weak group with a perfect 6-0-0 record in the initial stage. Their path became more difficult in the knockout phase where they edged by RB Leipzig with a 2-1 aggregate score in the Round of 16 before escaping in a dramatic penalty shootout against reigning champions Manchester City in the quarterfinals. Madrid then delivered some of their patented Champions League witchcraft for a late comeback to down Bayern Munich in the semifinals 4-3 on aggregate.
Their path to Wembley was underlined by a robust defensive performance, having conceded the fewest goals among the teams past the quarter-final stage and maintaining the most clean sheets in this season's competition.
Under manager Carlo Ancelotti this season, Real Madrid has consistently lined up in a 4-4-2 shape with a diamond midfield featuring the dynamic Bellingham at the tip of the diamond with Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo split wide on the attacking line.
Toni Kroos is another essential cog in the attack, often dropping deep into areas vacated when the fullbacks push forward, to pick up the ball and orchestrate the build up. The ability for Kroos to pick any pass forces the defense to decide whether to close him down and leave space behind them or risk getting beat with a ball over the top.
When defending, Real Madrid is not as committed to pressing as many other elite teams. While they will press strategically, they are especially difficult to break down when they get into their set 4-4-2 defensive block. Madrid is at their best when they can win the ball and attack quickly in transition.
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