Ten Things I Think
1. I think the noise surrounding Gary Sanchez is much overblown. Yes, his defense is a serious concern and his batting average has slipped of late, but he still has managed to tally 13 homers and 39 RBIs in what many are calling a disastrous season. The surplus value that he provides from the catcher position is off the charts. The Yankee fans clamoring for Austin Romine need to relax.
2. I think Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is criminally underrated. Historically, I am not sure there has been a player in the history of the NBA who had a greater impact than the man formerly known as Lew Alcindor. All of the talk is Jordan this, LeBron that, but why is Kareem never considered when we speak of the greatest of all-time? He is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, a six-time MVP, a six-time champion, and a 19-time All-Star. Over the course of his 20-year career, Abdul-Jabaar averaged 25 points and 11 boards. That is patently absurd. I am not saying that Kareem is definitively the GOAT, but he certainly belongs in the conversation.
3. I think that pitchers batting needs to go. Both leagues need to permanently adopt the DH. Why are we watching pitchers, many of whom haven’t hit since high school, try and make contact against the world’s best? It is bad in terms of entertainment and it fails in efficacy as well. Sure, it is exciting to Madison Bumgarner go yard three or four times a year, but outside of that I just don’t see the purpose.
4. I think there are only five plausible destinations for LeBron this summer. In 2019, The King will be rendering his services to one of these five teams: Cavaliers, Celtics, Lakers, 76ers, Rockets. I cannot envision a scenario in which he winds up with any other franchise. If his priority is to win that likely eliminates Cleveland and the Lakers, barring a mega-trade or joining forces with multiple stars in Hollywood. However, both seem unlikely. If I had to bet right now my money would be on him staying in the East and joining either Philly or Boston, but honestly, I am not even sure LeBron knows where he will be playing next season yet.
5. I think that the baseball playoff system is very flawed. Where do I begin? Is it the one-game wild card playoff where a team that wins over 100 games could have their season ended in an afternoon? Or is it that baseball’s Divisional Series are only five games while the NBA Playoffs are exclusively seven game series? If you reward endurance and consistency over sustained periods of time in the regular season, the same should be true for the postseason.
6. I think the rumors swirling that Luka Dončić will fall in the Draft are mind-numbing. This dude, at 19-years old, was the MVP of EuroLeague. That is the second-best league in the world for those keeping track at home. Dončić should be a top-two pick in his sleep. If you wanted to pick DeAndre Ayton over the Slovenian, I wouldn’t find fault with you, but the possibility of Luka potentially falling from the top-five with his expansive resume is the epitome of overthinking and over evaluating draft prospects.
7. I think the Jazz are an elite wing away from being neck and neck with the Warriors. This sounds crazy I know, but a versatile big like Rudy Gobert is the antidote to Golden State’s motion offense. With Donovan Mitchell destined to improve from his stellar rookie season, if Utah could lure say Paul George to Salt Lake City, the West would all of a sudden get a heck of a lot more interesting.
8. I think Gleybar Torres should be in the discussion for AL MVP. Despite not being called up until April 22, the Yankees talented rookie has torn the cover off of the baseball since his debut. Playing a pivotal role in the Yankees middle-infield, the rookie is batting .291 with 14 home runs and 35 RBIs. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton receive the lion’s share of the headlines in the Bronx, but Torres has been the team’s most valuable player this season.
9. I think the Pistons are on a treadmill of mediocrity. Dwane Casey recently inked a hefty contract to become Detroit’s next head coach and boy will he have his hands full in the Motor City. The Pistons have zero roster flexibility with the mammoth contracts on the books to Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin to go along with their lack of future draft capital due to ill-advised trades. The ceiling on this team is maybe the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, but that might be pushing it. The expectations in Detroit will be high, but I just cannot see them living up to such heights.
10. I think Kawhi Leonard will remain with the Spurs. Something just doesn’t seem to add up. Kawhi’s camp is concerned over his lack of endorsement opportunities so they are in favor of a change of scenery, reportedly to Los Angeles. However, by leaving the Spurs, Kawhi would be forgoing on a possible 5 year/$219 million extension. In his new home, the tight-lipped soon-to-be 27-year old would only be eligible to sign a 5 year/$188 million extension. Now I am no mathematician, but that is a significant gap in pay. Even a substantial deal from Nike or Adidas might not cover the difference. Certainly there is more to the game than money, but I am not sure there is a better fit for Kawhi than the one in San Antonio.
