MidValleySports.Com

Joe T., always working hard…

By Joe Torosian

Kick it!

My first wire-to-wire baseball season was in 1974.

Because, to that point, I had only played baseball in the street, at school, or in the park…I thought the guy who always caught the ball at first base was the greatest player ever.

Fifty-plus years later, the world has changed.

When I was a young man, sneaking into Chavez Ravine–with friends I won’t name–I remember the Dodgers’ biggest problems were finding a replacement for Greg Brock, who turned out not to be the replacement for Steve Garvey…The perpetual search for a left-hander in the pen to replace Steve Howe…Kenny Landreaux’s poor play in center—which I didn’t think was as bad as the KBM made it out to be…The endless wait for Dave Anderson to break through…and if Mike Marshall’s next ailment would top his “general soreness” claim.

Heading into 2026, the Dodgers’ biggest dilemma is whether or not to keep 23-year-old postseason hero Roki Sasaki in the rotation…Talk about a First-World problem?

I don’t want the Dodgers to win a third straight World Series, but I do like an evil empire…And if it upsets the whiners—I’m all for it. They know how to spend their money and make it at The Ravine. I can’t fault them for that.

Until then, Go Mets!

As we’ve seen this past week, if you go through enough intersections, you can accuse anyone of anything, and it will stick.

At this point, I’m not buying the accusations made against Rams WR Puka Nacua. What will convince me absolutely of his innocence is if he and his law team thoroughly destroy this individual publicly.

In my field—the day job—I’ve made it clear you can forgive a person for an accusation, but when it’s your reputation, there can’t be a settlement if the accusation is false. You have to go after that person in every way possible. You must destroy their character/reputation.

With that said, someone would do well to remind Nacua that bad company corrupts good character…And his immaturity has caught up with him.

The question going forward is whether he will listen and put childish things behind him. 

The NCAA Tourney always bubbles up two of my biggest angsts.

One, the 5-foul rule in the NCAA is archaic. Make it six, or better still, eliminate it. Add a foul shot for everything over six and give two for ten or more.

When a bad whistle—and we’ve seen plenty of bad whistles—can take a star out of an elimination game, everybody suffers. It’s a joke.

Two, I’m also against giving “five” or a hand-slap after a missed free throw. If you clank one from the line, you shouldn’t expect any love.

As sure as California gas taxes will increase, everyone knew Hubert Davis was getting canned at North Carolina. The mystery is who will be the next Tar Heel family member they hire? 

Whatever happened to Mike O’Koren?

#14—May the San Francisco Giants rot and lie stinking in the earth.

Welcome back, my friends, to the backup quarterback who never ends… Cincy’s brought Joe Flacco back inside, back inside…

Fog City let Brian Robinson walk to Atlanta. Either the 49ers have extreme confidence in a 30-year-old running back with 9 years of NFL wear on his tires and 450 touches in 2025, or they’re broke.

The Dude abides…
1,256
Mark 1:29-34
jtbank1964@yahoo.com
Follow Joe on X: @joet13b