1. Hats Off!
How is that for irony?! It was 70yrs ago that the United State of America beat Germany, then Japan – and after Sunday, the Women’s Soccer team did the same thing. First beating Germany to get to the Final and then defeating Japan to win it all.
Stunningly, it was Carli Lloyd 3, Japan 2. It’s one thing to score a hat-trick and completely another to do it in 16 minutes – the third a midfield strike. It was an exclamation that punctuated the National weekend perfectly – just like this call…
2. Car-toon
NASCAR proved this weekend that time is a circle. Towards the end of the Coca-Cola 400 at Daytona – this happened. It is not the first time Austin Dillon has been airborne, (last time in 2013 at Talladega, just like Ricky Bobby) but it is eery. Eery because he drives the #3 car, AND crashed at Daytona, AND Dale Earnhardt Jr ended up winning the race…
3. Stars At Night…
The Rosters have been announced!
Reminder, the starting position players are selected by the fans while the rest of the rosters are voted on by players and selected by managers Bruce Bochy (Giants) and Ned Yost (Royals) – Last year’s World Series participants.
The All-Star rosters are 34 players deep, but only 33 players for each team were announced. The final spot, for each league, is up for grabs via the Final Vote fan voting. Any starting pitchers who pitch Sunday, July 12, are not eligible to pitch in the All-Star Game itself, which will be played at the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Tuesday, July 14. The Home Run Derby will be played the day before, and the Futures Game the day before that.
All 30 teams get at least one representative in the All-Star Game. Keep in mind that injured players will be replaced on the rosters between now and then. Here are the full rosters – funny the politics of it when you consider, at least stats-wise, no Braun or A-Rod:
AL Starters (fan vote)
- C Salvador Perez, Royals
1B Miguel Cabrera, Tigers (injured, will not play)
2B Jose Altuve, Astros
SS Alcides Escobar, Royals
3B Josh Donaldson, Blue Jays (leading vote-getter overall)
OF Mike Trout, Angels
OF Lorenzo Cain, Royals
OF Alex Gordon, Royals
DH Nelson Cruz, Mariners
AL Reserves
- C Russell Martin, Blue Jays
C Stephen Vogt, Athletics
1B Albert Pujols, Angels (will start in place of the injured Cabrera)
1B Prince Fielder, Rangers
1B Mark Teixeira, Yankees (replaces injured Cabrera on roster)
2B Jason Kipnis, Indians
SS Jose Iglesias, Tigers
3B Manny Machado, Orioles
OF J.D. Martinez, Tigers
OF Jose Bautista, Blue Jays
OF Adam Jones, Orioles
UTIL Brock Holt, Red Sox
AL Pitchers
- RHP Sonny Gray, Athletics
RHP Felix Hernandez, Mariners
RHP Chris Archer, Rays
LHP David Price, Tigers
LHP Dallas Keuchel, Astros
LHP Chris Sale, White Sox
RHP Dellin Betances, Yankees
RHP Brad Boxberger, Rays
RHP Kelvin Herrera, Royals
RHP Wade Davis, Royals
RHP Darren O’Day, Orioles
LHP Glen Perkins, Twins
LHP Zach Britton, Orioles
AL Final Vote Candidates
- SS Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox
OF Yoenis Cespedes, Tigers
OF Brett Gardner, Yankees
2B Brian Dozier, Twins
3B Mike Moustakas, Royals
NL Starters (fan vote)
- C Buster Posey, Giants
1B Paul Goldschmidt, Diamondbacks
2B Dee Gordon, Marlins
SS Jhonny Peralta, Cardinals
3B Todd Frazier, Reds
OF Bryce Harper, Nationals (leading vote-getter in NL)
OF Matt Holliday, Cardinals (injured, participation questionable)
OF Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins (injured, will not play)
NL Reserves
- C Yadier Molina, Cardinals
C Yasmani Grandal, Dodgers
1B Anthony Rizzo, Cubs
1B Adrian Gonzalez, Dodgers
2B DJ LeMahieu, Rockies
2B Joe Panik, Giants
SS Brandon Crawford, Giants
3B Nolan Arenado, Rockies
3B Kris Bryant, Cubs (replaces injured Stanton on roster)
OF Andrew McCutchen, Pirates (will start in place of the injured Stanton)
OF Joc Pederson, Dodgers
OF Justin Upton, Padres
OF A.J. Pollock, Diamondbacks
NL Pitchers
- RHP Max Scherzer, Nationals
RHP Zack Greinke, Dodgers
RHP Gerrit Cole, Pirates
RHP Michael Wacha, Cardinals
RHP Jacob deGrom, Mets
RHP Shelby Miller, Braves
RHP A.J. Burnett, Pirates
LHP Madison Bumgarner, Giants
RHP Trevor Rosenthal, Cardinals
RHP Mark Melancon, Pirates
RHP Jonathan Papelbon, Phillies
RHP Francisco Rodriguez, Brewers
LHP Aroldis Chapman, Reds
NL Final Vote Candidates
- RHP Johnny Cueto, Reds
RHP Jeurys Familia, Mets
LHP Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers
RHP Carlos Martinez, Cardinals
SS Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies
4. The Times they are a changing…
Funny how several big names never really went anywhere. LeMarcus left for the Spurs and it appears that David West has joined him – it makes Beckwith wonder how or when Duncan, Aldridge, and West are gonna play – but I digress. Between the Cavaliers spending $200+million to keep Love, Thompson and Shumpert and other head-scratching signings – there is little doubt how much Ca$h this league has to spend – remember when those same owners cried poverty during the 2011 lockout? Here are 11 notable signings and the what they signed for:
- Paul Millsap
Atlanta Hawks – 3 years, $58 million - Dwyane Wade
Miami Heat – 1 year, $20 million - Draymond Green
Golden State Warriors – 5 years, $85 million - Greg Monroe
Milwaukee Bucks – 3 years, $50 million - Tobias Harris
Orlando Magic – 4 years, $64 million - DeAndre Jordan
Dallas Mavericks – 4 years, $80 million - Kevin Love
Cleveland Cavaliers – 5 years, $110 million - Goran Dragic
Miami Heat – 5 years, $90 million - Jimmy Butler
Chicago Bulls – 5 years, $90 million - DeMarre Carroll
Toronto Raptors – 4 years, $60 million - LaMarcus Aldridge
San Antonio Spurs – 4 years, $80 million
