(“The TEN” is not a top ten but ten items worth being included in “The TEN”)
1. The New Orleans Pelicans dismissed Head Coach Alvin Gentry after five years.
2. The Portland Trail Blazers beat the Memphis Grizzlies 126-122 Saturday to win the Western Conference play in game and earn the right to play the Lakers in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
3. The Reds-Pittsburgh Pirates games scheduled for Saturday and Sunday were postponed after a Cincinnati player tested positive for the coronavirus.
4. Boston Bruins goalie Tukka Rask left the NHL bubble in Canada and opted out of the NHL playoffs due to family concerns.
5. The Green Bay Packers signed defensive tackle Kenny Clark to a four-year, $70 million extension.
6. NBA Western Conference Playoffs, 1st Round: #1 Lakers vs. #8 Portland, #2 Clippers vs. #7 Dallas, #3 Denver vs. #6 Utah, #4 Houston vs. #5 Oklahoma City. All series are best of seven.
7. NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs, 1st Round: #1 Milwaukee vs. #8 Orlando, #2 Toronto vs. #7 Brooklyn, #3 Boston vs. #6 Philadelphia, #4 Indiana vs. #5 Miami. All series are best of seven.
8. New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole has won 20 straight regular season games over his last 27 starts dating back to last year.
9. The Dodgers hit four home runs and went on to beat the Angels 8-3 Sunday to complete a three game sweep of the series. Dodger catcher Keibert Ruiz homered in his first major league at bat as the Dodgers improved to 16-7 overall.
10. On this day in 1992 the Dodgers Kevin Gross threw a no-hitter in a 2-0 win over the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium.
Oh-ho; there are plenty of things to be serious about, but at least we have some professional sports. May all the athletes and their families stay healthy.
Put your mask on and be quiet
Yes! How about those Los Angeles Dodgers?
The Dodgers are now 17-7, and their six-game winning streak has put them three games ahead of the Colorado Rockies in the National League West.
The L.A. offense has been on a tear during this current stretch, thanks primarily to the following players:
1. RF Mookie Betts (yes, Mookie Betts): .319 batting average, .374 on-base percentage, 9 HR’s & 21 runs batted in so far this season. (He leads the team in all four categories.)
2. SS/DH Corey Seager: .306 BA, .359 OBP, 6 HR’s & 16 RBI’s.
3. LF/DH A.J. Pollock: .300 BA, .355 OBP, 5 HR’s & 13 RBI’s.
4. 3B/DH Justin Turner: .287 BA, .370 OBP, 2 HR’s & 16 RBI’s.
5. IF-OF Chris Taylor: .268 BA, .373 OBP, 1 HR & 8 RBI’s.
The Dodgers’ relief pitching has been stellar overall, with the occasional exception of Pedro Baez (3.48 earned-run average). Closer Kenley Jansen has sealed the deal in all seven of his save opportunities (although he’s done a couple of tightrope acts).
As for L.A.’s starting rotation, the three standouts so far have been Julio Urias (2-0, 2.53 ERA); Clayton Kershaw (2-1, 2.65 ERA); and (surprise!) Dustin May (1-1, 3.00 ERA).
Tony Gonsolin, who has yet to allow a run, has been a reliable spot-starter for the team.
Walker Buehler (0-0, 5.21 ERA), who reportedly got behind with his physical conditioning in the preseason, has been struggling despite the fact that opposing hitters are batting only .186 against him. Buehler’s main problems are that he has allowed five homers and a team-high nine walks.
Ross Stripling (5.61 ERA) has a record of 3-1 because the offense has given him run support. Opponents have been hitting .272 against him, and he’s given up a team-high eight home runs.
It’s 24 games down and 36 to go in this most unusual regular season for the Dodgers. So far, so good…
Things have gone well for the NBA so far in the Orlando “bubble,” and it could remain that way with frequent coronavirus testing and responsible behavior on the part of everyone involved, including the players. Everyone in the NBA has worked hard to get to this point; they’ll just have to keep at it from a health standpoint.
If just one NBA player tests positive during this tournament, I suppose the whole thing will have to be cancelled. If Adam Silver lets the games go on, he could be liable to pay damages for the potential harm he has done. All they would need is a jury consisting of guys like the COVID gurus we have on this site, and the dough would flow.