Coronavirus Concerns Wreck Havoc for MLB Schedule

This is getting beyond ridiculous.

With growing concern over the spread of COVID-19 after 17 members of the Miami Marlins tested positive following their series in Philadelphia, Major League Baseball has postponed the next six games on the Marlins schedule through Sunday. That means their games against the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals will not happen this week, and there is no telling when and if those games will ever be made up.

The scheduling issues also affected the Yankees and Phillies, who have seen their entire four-game shuttle series postponed completely. Even though tests on the Phillies came back negative, they will have to test again at somepoint to determine if anyone in the Phillies clubhouse does indeed have the virus.

Instead the Yankees will now have to shuttle to Baltimore to play the Orioles -- both teams just trying to make up games that have been removed from their schedule.

In a 60-game season under so much uncertainty there is no telling 1) when these games will be made up, 2) how this will impact the playoff race -- should this season conclude. Right now we are looking at the potentiality of the Marlins playing 54 games this year; the Phillies 56 games; the Nationals 57 games' the Yankees and Orioles 58 games a piece. This is outrageous and ridiculous.

It feels like Major League Baseball is making things up as they go along with no clear protocol on how to handle the virus. In addition the League seems satisfied by just proceeding along and pushing the Marlins to the side while they keep playing baseball.

That's totally unfair to the Marlins, and totally unfair to the teams that have lost games on their schedule. Imagine a scenario where the Marlins make the playoffs because a 54 game season could give them a better winning percentage. All this does is further prove that this season can't be looked up as legitimate.

Yet, baseball will keep going. They will endure more breakouts, and as long as nobody gets seriously ill, they will complete this bastardization of a season. Why, well TV revenue, and revenue from streaming services and online shopping sales is the key driver.

The Players Union needs to step up to the plate and challenge Commissioner Rob Manfred and plead with him to stop this season before things get totally out of hand, if they haven't already.

Mets Bats Show Up In Beantown Beatdown

METS 7 - RED SOX 4 

Nothing can cure the Mets ills from the past two losses to the Atlanta Braves then beating up on an injured and rebuilding Boston Red Sox team.

After struggling to garner any offense the first three games of the season that saw the Mets score a combined five runs, New York scored seven on Monday night thanks to big home runs by Pete Alonso, Michael Conforto and Dominic Smith.

The Mets opened up the scoring in the top of the second inning when Conforto took Boston starter Josh Osich deep for a two-run homer to give the Mets an early 2-0 advantage.

An inning later, Alonso, who has really struggled with the bat in the early season, nailed a homer off the top of the Green Monster in left to push the Mets ahead 4-0.

And that would not be all. In the top of the fourth with Wilson Ramos and Robinson Cano on base, Dominic Smith went deep for his first homer of the season to right-center to expand the Met lead to 7-0.

All the runs went to the good of former Cardinals starter Michael Wacha, who made his Mets debut. Wacha was solid for New York, giving up only a run on five hits over five innings of work. He walked one and struck out four, to earn his first win in blue and orange.

After Chasen Shreve and Jeryus Familia struggled in the later innings, Seth Lugo got the opportunity to close and did a fine job, retiring the four batters to face him in the eighth and ninth innings.

The Mets and Sox conclude the Boston part of their four-game mid-week series tomorrow. It will be a bullpen night for New York. 

Baseball Should Just Cancel Season After Marlins Outbreak

He wouldn't call it what it was when asked by MLB Network's Tom Verducci, but for Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred, he truly does have a "nightmare" on his hands.

Word came down Monday that the Miami Marlins had as many as 11 players and two coaches test positive for COVID-19 after their final game in Philadelphia, a game that oddly enough was played despite the fact that three Marlins had tested positive before game time, yet Major League Baseball allowed the Marlins decide for themselves whether to play or not.

How is that possible in today's day an age? And Manfred had the audacity to tell fans across America that Major League Baseball has protocols to handle the virus. Malarkey.

Even Dodgers pitcher David Price said as much in a Twitter post that part of the reason he opted out of the 2020 season was because he felt baseball didn't take the appropriate steps to protect the players.

Now the results from a three month battle over money between baseball and the players union has reared its ugly head.

As a result, the Marlins two home gamse against the Baltimore Orioles were postponed. The Yankees game against Philadelphia was also scrapped. Manfred gave no indication when those games would be made up. And this is supposed to be a legitimate 60-game season.

There is no telling where the Marlins may have picked up the virus. Chances are they got it in Florida, a state that is the capital for COVID-19 related cases right now after the state didn't take the virus seriously enough during the spring and early summer.

Whatever the case, the Philadelphia Phillies with whom the Marlins played this past weekend were surely exposed; so much so that the Philly clubhouse staff that served the visitors locker room are in quarantine.

And remember this is the same Phillies organization that went through its own surge of cases - about a dozen before baseball summer camp kicked off.

Manfred can sit there tell people that MLB expected cases to "prop up," but the reality is baseball could have been more proactive in their approach. Many suggested baseball should have gone into a bubble, but the players didn't want that, and that bubble would have been in Florida and Arizona -- two COVID-19 hotbeds.

The most obvious thing baseball could have done was simply suck up its own pride, realize that the season was lost and canceled the season. Yes that would have meant lost television revenue. That also would have meant lost service time and lost dollars for the players, but the facts are the facts, players safety is paramount for the game today, for the game tomorrow.

Now the entire sports world sits and waits to see what the latest round of tests reveal for the Philadelphia Phillies. If it's bleak, what will baseball do next? What will the trickle down effect be for the NFL? The NBA? The NHL? Major League Soccer?

If baseball cares about safety, and if they listen to the health experts, they will understand that COVID-19 can spread and spread like wild fire. Baseball has put its players, the staffs of each organization as well as the employees at team hotels and flights at great risk. All it takes is one guy to carry the virus to pass it on to someone else.

And here we are, five days into the season, some players are wearing masks, many are not. Many players are not taking the proper precautions and are still spitting and snorting all over the dugout, the field, what have you; it's a train-wreck. Nobody seems to understand nor care, and nobody is doing their part well enough.

Baseball players are creatures of habit, asking them to change all of their habits when it relates to game preparation and clubhouse activity is asking a lot.  Heck there was even a story by Jeff Passon that quoted one player who admitted all it would take to ruin the season would be one guy on the road to have sex with a woman who may carry the virus, or go partying with people who may have it asymptomatically. Anything is possible.

Don't believe me, look at the streets in New York City for example where youngsters are out having a good time and not social distancing.

This is a disaster for baseball.

Baseball's dilemma is not going to end just here, it will continue. The longer games are played, the more likely the spread of Coronavirus will continue, and the more likely we will see another explosion of the virus on a team or teams. What then if we are sitting here in mid-August and half the league is forced to use their taxi squads, and then those squads get infected as well?

Suck it up Mr. Manfred. Mr. Tony Clark, the President of the Baseball Player's Union. Stop the insanity before someone seriously gets sick. Cancel the season, and save baseball for tomorrow.

Edwin Diaz Once Again Proves He's Not Worth Keeping in Closer Role

How much more evidence do the Mets need. Correction, how much more evidence does General Manager Bordie Van Wagenen need so he can allow his puppet manager Luis Rojas make the decision that needs to be made: get Edwin Diaz as far away from the ninth inning as quickly as possible.

Diaz once again proved he is incapable of getting the job done in crunch time. With the Mets leading the Atlanta Braves 2-1, needing just one out, hell, one strike, to cement a 2-0 start to a 60-game season, Diaz -- in Diaz fashion -- served up a game-tying homer to Marcel Ozuna to deep right. 

The Mets would never lead again as Atlanta, taking full advantage of the international rule with an automatic runner on second in the top of the 10th inning, scored three runs off Hunter Strickland to take a 5-2 lead, en route to a 5-3 victory over the Mets.

Instead of being 2-0, a game ahead of Miami, Philly and Washington, and two games ahead of Atlanta, the Mets find themselves once again in the middle of the pack.

With only 58 games left, losses like this will hurt. Don't remind Mets fans that the expansion of the playoff field could turn out to be a blessing by seasons end, because continued reliance on Diaz in late innings will mean the Mets will almost surely be on the outside looking in.

These games are important. They could three-times of what they would normally mean if this were a 162-game slate.

It's time for the Mets to make the move and let Dellin Betances or even Seth Lugo close games from here on out. Both are capable, and both are much more trustworthy than Edwin Diaz.

It is time for VanWagenen to swallow his pride, accept the fact that his trade to Seattle last year that sent top prospect Jarred Kelenic to the Mariners for Robinson Cano and Diaz was an utter failure. Accept it and move on, before Diaz keeps the Mets from the seventh or eighth seed in the National League playoffs.

Jets Trade Jamal Adams to Seahawks for Multiple 1st Round Picks

At the end of the day Jamal Adams got exactly what he wanted, and the Jets got exactly what they needed: peace.

The Jets traded the disgruntled Pro Bowl safety to the Seattle Seahawks for two first round picks, a third rounder and safety Bradley McDougald while sending Adams and a fourth rounder to Seattle. The first round picks the Jets recieve will cover the 2021 and 2022 drafts, meaning New York will have two first rounders in each of the next two years -- a huge luxury to a franchise that still has plenty of holes to fill.

The Jets are big winners here. They get ride of a player who didn't want to be here. 

Adams spent a better part of the last year ripping apart the franchise because General Manager Joe Douglas fielded calls about Adams last fall -- calls that Douglas listened to and declined. He did his job. Adams meanwhile pouted and shouted his way out of town.

He demanded a contract extension or trade in the spring as the NFL and everyone else struggled with COVID-19. Joe Douglas told the press that he wanted Adams to stay long term, but an extension couldn't be done right away. Adams meanwhile claimed he was promised a deal. In short a divorce was always pending.

Then this week happened. Adams blasted owner Woody Johnson after word came down through CNN that Johnson, who is also the Ambassador to the United Kingdom, allegedly spoke of people in racist and sexist terms while on the job. Adams took to Twitter stating in so many words that the Jets needed a new "leader."

Then a day later, a story by New York Daily News writer Manish Mehta quotes Adams as ripping Adam Gase for being disconnected from the team, and that Douglas is an inexperienced General Manager. Apparently that was enough for the Jets who decided to make a deal happen with Seattle.

It had been rumored for weeks that either the Seahawks or 49ers were hot for Adams in a deal. While Adams goes to a great situation in Seattle -- a team that is a perennial playoff team. It is unknown whether Seattle will extend Adams, who has two years left on his deal at $14 million, but the guess is they will.

The Jets now have to turn the picks they get for him into big time players. They also need McDougald who is a good player to step up as a solid piece and leader. At the same time the club gets a big distraction out of the building just days before training camp begins. That is a huge plus for a team coming off a drama-filled 2019 season and 2020 off-season.

Knicks to Make Tom Thibideau Head Coach

Credit the New York Knicks, they finally have done something right.

The Knicks are going to make former Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibideau the next head coach of the New York Knicks. Thus ends an extended process where the Knicks interviewed just about everyone, including former Nets head coaches Jason Kidd and Kenny Atkinson. In fact there was even rumors that the Knicks were giving serious consideration to giving Kidd the job, but instead the revert back to the guy who was the clear favorite from the very beginning.

The 62-year old Thibideau is a basketball lifer, having grown up in the NBA with the Knicks when he was on Jeff Van Gundy's staff from 1996 to 2004, including serving on Van Gundy's staff during New York's magical run to the Finals in 1999.

As a head coach, Thibideau has been a winner. Over seven and a half seasons as a head coach, Thibideau has amassed a .589 winning percentage, including turning around the Bulls back into a playoff team for in the last decade after many years of mediocrity in the post- Michael Jordan era for the franchise.

Thibideau is known as a master of details and is known for leaving no stone unturned. For a franchise that has struggled for over two decades in finding the right head coach for the job -- the Knicks might finally have found the right guy to take them back to the promise land.

And in case you need any ringing endorsements, Jeff Van Gundy praised the move: "I'm extremely happy for Tom and equally happy for the Knicks as they hired an elite coach who will give everything to turn the Knicks around."

Cespedes Marks Return to Mets with Mammoth Homer

METS 1 - BRAVES 0

The last time Mets fans saw Yoenis Cespedes on the field, he had a 2-for-4 night at Yankee Stadium on July 20, 2018. Since that time, heel and ankle injuries, combined with a bizarre incident at Spring Training last year where he was chased down by a wild boar and fell into a hole, and Cespedes' tenure that once started out so promising in New York when he arrived in 2015 had matriculated into a sick joke.

But a little over two years and four days since his last appearance in a Mets uniform, Cespedes reminded the Mets and the fanbase that he can still pack quiet a punch with his bat.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, in a scoreless game that had been dominated by superlative efforts by Mike Soroka for Atlanta and Jacob deGrom for the Mets, Cespedes got around an 0-1 fastball by reliever Chris Martin and crushed it into the second deck at Citi Field for his first home run in two years. It gave the Mets a 1-0 lead, the only run they would need on the most bizarre Opening Day the Mets would ever take part in, one that took place in late July due to the novel Coronavirus.

Cespedes nearly fell down when he crushed that pitched; straightened up and trotted around the bases - pain free - a reminder of how good this Mets lineup could be with him in it, anchoring the heart of the order behind Pete Alonso and Michael Conforto. If only this was a regular 162 game season -- the prospects for production would be off the charts.

As for deGrom, he was his usual stellar self. He dominated the Braves over five innings, allowing only one hit and a walk, while striking out eight batters. He left after five innings and 71 pitches, and in typical Mets fashion, they didn't give him any run support.

Seth Lugo worked through two anxious innings in relief, before Justin Wilson made quick work of the Braves in the top of the eighth.

Finally it was up to Edwin Diaz, the same guy who pitched to a 5.59 ERA in 2019 and was one of the biggest busts of the entire season last year for New York.

And of course the tension was still there. Even with no fans in the building, you could imagine the throngs of Mets fans watching on TV with pillows over their eyes through the entire experience.

On the first pitch Diaz threw, Ozzie Albies hit a rope to second baseman Robinson Cano who made a spiffy play on the ball to throw out the speedy Albies. Next, Diaz lost Freddie Freeman to a five-pitch walk, although it could have been much worse, when Freeman connected on 3-0 and nearly hit a game-tying home run that just went right of the right field foul pole.

With Freeman leading off of first, Diaz came back to strike out both Miguel Ozuna and Matt Adams to end the ball game, securing the closer's first save of the year, and get New York to an important 1-0 start in a 60-game season.

KEY STAT: The Mets remain kings of Opening Day. New York is 39-12 in their last 51 season openers dating back to 1970.

Stanton and Cole Power Yankees to Opening Day Win in D.C.

YANKEES 4 - NATIONALS 1

The raindrops were not enough to stymie the Yankees who leaned on the power of Giancarlo Stanton and the right arm of new staff ace Gerrit Cole to a rain-shortened 4-1 victory over the defending World Series Champion Washington Nationals, Thursday.

Stanton and Aaron Judge accounted for four of the Yankees six hits, and all four RBIs in the evening. Stanton's two-run blast to straight away center field, 459 feet from home plate, was the exclamation point on the night, and it was only the first inning.

The Yankees would tack on a run in the third inning on Judge's RBI double that brought home Tyler Wade to make it 3-1 Yankees in the third inning. Stanton capped off the scoring the fourth on a RBI single to right that scored Gio Urshela in the top of the fifth inning.

As for Cole, he settled in nicely after serving up a solo shot to Adam Eaton in the bottom of the first. Cole gave up only one hit, the Eaton homer, over five innings of work, while striking out five. At one point Cole retired 10 in a row before walking Asdrubal Cabrera in the bottom of the fifth.

Of course the game couldn't have started without a little controversy as Nationals outfielder Juan Soto tested positive for COVID-19. Soto did not play Thursday, and is now in quarantine until further notice. He needs two negative tests before rejoining the team. According to Nats GM Mike Rizzon, Soto is asymptomatic.

The news is a rude reminder of the conditions with which baseball is playing under this year. There is grave concern that the 2020 season will never finish because of the virus which is spreading across the United States.

MLB Expand Playoffs from 10 teams to 16 for 2020 Season

Get ready for some mediocre teams getting into the Major League Baseball playoffs this season (if the season is completed this year).

MLB and the Players Union agreed to expand the playoffs to 16 teams, eight teams in each league as a way to increase financial incentives (a $50 million pool) and competitive incentives for teams that normally would be out of it. 

The change guarantees that all second place teams will qualify for the playoffs. A seventh and eighth team will be determined in each league by best remaining record.

This will create a crowded and controversial playoff format where the first round will consist of four series that are all a best of three. The winners of the first round will advance to the Division Series, which will remain a best of five.

The League Championship Series' and World Series will remain a seven game series.

The controversy with the decision means that you could see a team(s) that are hovering around .500 get to the postseason. Moreover that team could potentially eliminate the team with the best record in baseball by winning two of three in the first round. It could happen, and it is something that is bound to bother baseball purists.

The question will be whether or not the expanded playoff is here to stay. Rob Manfred is extremely progressive when it comes to making changes to the sport - implementing the international rule for extra innings and installing the DH in the NL. Expanded playoffs like many other nuances to the 2020 season could become permanent, and certainly a discussion point for the next collective bargaining agreement which comes due at the end of 2021. 

Marcus Stroman Hits Injury List with Torn Calf Muscle

Things are getting dicey for the Mets starting rotation. Projected number two starter Marcus Stroman is on the Injury List with a tear to his left calf, and is considered "week to week" according to manager Luis Rojas. 

However the diagnosis of a torn calf muscle sounds a lot worse than the earlier diagnosis of a calf strain. As noted by MLB Trade Rumors dot com, a Grade 1 Calf strain could indicate some tearing and stretching of the muscle that might lead to a lesser IL stint.

Still the loss of Stroman is no funny matter for the Mets. There was concern just a week ago about back tightness with ace Jacob deGrom, and with Noah Syndergaard out for the entire season, the Mets were really hoping to get a big year out of Stroman as the team's number 2 starter.

Now the pressure is only going to be ratcheted up on the rest of the rotation. Michael Wacha, Rick Porcello and Steven Matz all see their importance to the Mets success in the near and long term future of this 2020 season increase.

The injury to Stroman wasn't the only bad news for the Mets, Tuesday. Robert Gsellman was also sent to the Injury List with discomfort in his right triceps. He is expected back in early August, which is just a few days away.

Jets owner Woody Johnson in Hot Water After Apparent "Racist & Sexist" Comments

Jets owner Robert "Woody" Johnson is in big trouble after multiple reports surfaced Tuesday that the billionaire and Ambassador to the United Kingdom was investigated by the U.S. State Department Inspector General for apparent racist and sexist comments he made to staff.

Johnson is also in hot water for trying to push the British Open to move its location to President Trump's Turnberry resort in Scotland at the President's behest.

The controversies have now led many to jump on social media demanding that Johnson be reprimanded by the NFL, and possibly sell his ownership stake in the New York Jets.

According to CNN, Johnson reportedly "questioned why the Black community celebrates Black History Month" and made some rather "cringeworthy" comments about women's looks.

In 2018 at a Black History Month event, Johnson "appeared agitated and asked if the audience would be a whole bunch of black people," according to an unnamed source.

CNN added that four sources told them that Johnson hosted parties at a men's only club in London. One source told CNN that Johnson would remark on how attractive the women looked, how he prefered to work with women becuase they came "cheaper and worked harder than men," and that he would comment on the way women dressed in the embassy."

CNN did not reveal the identity of the sources.

However former Deputy Chief of Mission Lewis Lukens, who reportedly clashed with Johnson over the British Open controversy, told the network that he was "aware of the allegations," against Johnson.

What's most damning of Johnson is that did not deny the allegations when asked about them. Johnson tried to take the high road, saying that serving as ambassador has been a "honor of a lifetime."

This is not the first time that Johnson has humiliated himself since becoming Ambassador to England. Last year during the 75th Anniversary of D-Day, Johnson was seated two rows behind the President when he whipped out his cell phone while Queen Elizabeth II was making a speech. The photos of Johnson either looking at his phone or allegedly taking photos of Her Majesty the Queen drew the ire of a lot of people. 

If the latest allegations of sexism and racism are indeed true, than Johnson is in big, big trouble. For starters President Trump would have no choice but to remove him as Ambassador to England.

Johnson was expected to leave the position anyway in November.

Would Johnson have to sell the Jets? That is an intriguing question.

The NFL right now finds itself in the middle of political turmoil right now -- most of which it has embraced being apart of.  Since the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, the NFL has bent over backwards to come across as socially "woke" to the point that Roger Goodell issued mea culpas for not taking social injustice seriously enough in the past to mandating the controversial playing of a "black national anthem" at all NFL games for Week 1 later this year.  The NFL is also allowing players to wear Black Lives Matter stickers on the backs of their helmets -- the same league that wouldn't allow the Cowboys wear the names of fallen police officers just four years ago.

Moreover the Washington Redskins find themselves embroiled in controversy having to change their name due to financial pressure from FedEx, and reports of sexual misconduct revolving around 15 women who claimed they were harassed and abused by Redskins' team employees. For his part, Washington owner Dan Synder might be forced out as well.

Woody Johnson's time as Jets owner is on thin ice, and with the catcalls for him to sell the team only expected increase it will be fascinating to see how much longer he and his brother Christopher try to sweep these controversies under the rug and hold on.

If the Johnson's do indeed sell, who would be interested? Knicks and Rangers owner James Dolan once fancied to buy the Jets back in 2000 when the family of Leon Hess put the team up for sale before selling to Johnson. Would Dolan, who is no stranger to mismanagement of sports franchises and controversy himself be an interested buyer?

What about Steve Cohen? Cohen is the favorite in the clubhouse to buy the New York Mets from their unscrupulous owners Fred and Jeff Wilpon. Would Cohen, who is a multi-billion dollar hedge fund manager, be interested in buying a football team too?

J-Rod? Yes, we all know that Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez are also in on the Mets deal, but let's say that falls through, would they be interested in a football team?

Giants and Jets will have no fans at MetLife Stadium this season

There will be no fans at Giants and Jets games this season.

The two clubs that share MetLife Stadium came to the decision to keep fans from the stadium for the entire 2020 season after New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy extended the states limits on outdoor public gatherings at a max of 500 people.

MefLife, of course seats 82,000-plus, and considering the risks posed by the Coronavirus, it makes no sense to allow only a few hundred people in the building when the safety of all those involved is paramount. Fans will also be barred from attending training camp practices this summer.

There is lingering question about whether the season will indeed happen right now. The NFL and NFLPA is taking steps to mollify concerns the players have about safety during the season; there is even a push to cancel the entire preseason slate to limit the potential of exposure.

Of all the four major sports, football requires the most contact between large groups of people, meaning that passing the Coronavirus is an extreme risk for the NFL and the safety of its players.

For now, the Giants and Jets are doing the right thing keeping fans away from the stadium for 2020. Both teams promise that no fans will remain the policy until further notice.

The decision is part in parcel to what is happening across sports. Major League Baseball will play a 60-game schedule without any fans in the ballpark. The NBA and NHL will play in bubble cities without fans. Expect the NFL to do the same, if not limit the number of fans in parks based solely on health and safety guidelines issued by the CDC and each corresponding state.

Yankees Pound Mets in Sweep of 2-Game Exhibition

YANKEES 6 - METS 0

If you could sum up these two games in just a few thoughts it is this: the 2020 New York Yankees look primed for a big run in a 60-game season. The 2020 New York Mets look primed for the season to be over before it ever starts.

That is what it looked like at Yankee Stadium, Sunday night, as the Bronx Bombers pounded five home runs en route to a 6-0 smackdown of their crosstown rivals, making it quiet apparent that even in a so-called exhibition there is a stark contrast between the two clubs.

For the first time this season Yankees fans saw a glimpse of what a healthy Yankees lineup could look this year with Aaron Judge, Giancarlos Stanton, DJ LeMahieu and Aaron Hicks all back in the lineup for the Bombers. The results were incredible.

Judge cracked two homers off Mets pitching, including a soft liner to left on an excuse me swing that was a quintessential Yankee Stadium home run in the bottom of the first inning to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead.

Judge finished the night with two homers and three RBI. For a guy coming off numerous injuries the past year, Judge looks ready to strike his mighty gavel this season.

Gary Sanchez and Luke Voit also joined the party with moon shots of their own as the Bombers continued to pound the Mets 4-0 as we moved into the sixth inning. Giancarlo Stanton capped off the scoring with a blast to the back of the bleachers in left-center to make it 6-0, New York.  

For his part on the mound, Jordan Montgomery was brilliant. The lefty tossed five shutout innings for the Yankees, surrendering only two hits and a walk; he struck out six. Montgomery looks ready to slide into the back end of the Yankees rotation.

As for the Mets, Sunday night was a culmination of a disastrous weekend. The team looks unprepared; the bullpen is still a major issue, and for two straight games the infield kicked the ball around like it was a lump of burning coal. Five errors by the Mets in just two games. That does not bode well.

Cory Oswalt and Drew Smith don't figure to be factors early in this season, and the Mets better hope neither factors at all. Neither pitcher was good. Oswalt was inconsistent with his control, allowing two homers on three hits and walking two over three innnings. Smith was worse, allowing a pair of homers and three runs in an inning and two-thirds. It was ex-Yankee Chasen Shreve who surrendered the blast by Stanton.

Whats more the offense was silent. Jeff McNeil and Pete Alonso were a combined 0-for-8 with four strikeouts - all but killing the Mets chances to get anything going offensively. Yoenis Cespedes was an invisible 0-for-2 on Sunday, leaving after the fourth inning.

With less than a week to go before the season begins, the Yankees look primed for a big run this year. The Mets look like a team ready to wallow in the bottom of a loaded NL East, unless they find a way to turn things around when the games start to count.

Yankees Pound Mets in Fanless, COVID-19-Era Exhibition Opener

YANKEES 9 - METS 3 

They played in total silence. The sounds of a bat hitting a ball, or a glove making a catch thundered through Citi Field in a scene that was best fit for a post-apocalyptic world. And in many ways that is the situation baseball -- and all sports for that matter -- find themselves in.

A little less than a week before Major League Baseball dips its big toe into COVID infested waters to start a 60-game season that anyone with any form of reason and integrity believes shouldn't happen, the Mets and Yankees played the first of two meaningless exhibition games on Saturday night, before a crowd of ... wait for it ... zero. (Unless you want to count the cardboard cutouts).

They are playing these games, not because they want to, but because after two weeks of playing themselves, the Mets and Yanks needed a little competition before the games get real -- at least on paper.

The only highlight of the night of course came in the fourth inning with Yankees right fielder Clint Frazier -- fully masked in a Yankees neck gaiter -- homered to deep left off Rick Porcello. See folks, if Clint Frazier can wear a mask and homer, you can wear one to the office, or to the grocery store.

Want baseball to be back to normal again? Wear a mask. Just ask Clint Frazier.

It wasn't all bad for the Mets on Saturday. They did pull to within two runs on RBI base hits by JD Davis and Pete Alonso, but the Yankees pulled away in the ninth thanks in big part to a combined implosion by Mets relievers Edwin Diaz and Daniel Zamora.

The Yankees plated five runs in the ninth. Two of those runs came on a two-run by Erik Kratz. Mike Tauchman drove in Tyler Wade with a single, one of three hits on the day for Tauchman against the Metropolitans. Thairo Estrada and Mike Ford rounded out the scoring with RBIs respectively, as the Bronx Bombers jumped all over the Mets 9-2.

So baseball is back -- sort of --  even though it doesn't feel like it should be back amid all the problems we are encountering as a nation. 

Chapman Latest Yankee to Test Positive for COVID-19

Baseball's return has not been kind to the Yankees, and the games haven't even started yet.

The Bronx Bombers received another blow, Saturday when word came down that closer Aroldis Chapman has been diagnosed with COVID-19 and has mild symptoms. Manager Aaron Boone says that Chapman will be away for the team for an undisclosed period of time.  

Chapman is now the third Yankee to test positive for the virus, the others being 2019 team MVP DJ LeMahieu and reliever Luis Cessa. Who knows how many others on the team potentially have been exposed to the virus since Chapman worked out with his teammates just days earlier.

Add the COVID issues to the injury concerns such as Aaron Judge returning from rib and shoulder surgery and pitcher Mashairo Tanaka dealing with a concussion after taking a 112 mph lined shot from the bat of Giancarlo Statnton off of his head.

The COVID news is both sobering and scary. The Yankees are one of ten teams to have players test positive for the virus, and many teams are struggling to manage workouts. The Astros, Phillies and A's have had to cancel workouts due to either positive cases, or the lack of information on COVID-19 testing. Royals Cam Gallagher also tested positive for Kansas City desipite playing in an intersquad game.

On top of that several players and coaches from around Major League Baseball are opting out of the 2020 season, citing family concerns. Angels star Mike Trout and Phillies star Bryce Harper have also expressed contrition with playing amid a global pandemic.

There is no telling how long baseball can keep this going without accepting the fact that playing games, and allowing teams to travel across the country is just too risky. The season should be canceled. It's a fairly easy decision in the eyes of independent observers.

It's easy to sit here and analyze how this latest "injury news" is going to affect the Yankees on the field, and it will. Zach Britton will have to slot into the closer's role until Chapman gets back. But it just doesn't seem fair to even make that a conversation point. The facts are it should never have come to this. Baseball should never have allowed its players to be exposed in this way to a virus that continues to spread with no sign of stopping.

Redwolves? Warriors? Leading Candidates to Replace "Redskins"

According to multiple reports the name "Warriors" is the leading candidate to replace the name "Redskins" for Washington's NFL franchise. Although there could be a dark horse in the mix with a name such as "Redwolves." 

The name "Redskins" has come under fire once again in response to the "social injustice" movement as the cancel culture continues its march to re-brand United States history in the months following the murder of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. 

The "Skins" name has always been a topic of debate going as far back as the 1990s, but the team has maintained the moniker. 

Owner Dan Snyder has also maintained for years that the name was not "racist" even though many people and civil rights groups point to the contrary. (There have been plenty of arguments on both sides of the issue.)  However, as we all know, money does talk. And with FedEx threatening to pull out of its $205 million stadium naming rights deal with the Redkins, and Nike removing Redskins merchandise from its website, it is only a matter of time before "Redskins" finally becomes something from the past. 

Naming the club either Warriors or Redwolves wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, and in fact, would maintain the team's connection to Native American culture. How? 

Let's explain. In Native American culture the term "Warrior" is "part of an ancient tradition and a vital expression of their spirit," according to PBS.org. It would only make sense to rename the team Warriors while maintaining the teams logo, colors and uniforms. Warriors would be a more respectful way to honor Native American culture than flat out using the term "Redskins."  

"Redwolves" also has a unique connection. Wolves are very much linked to Native culture, forming a symbol of courage, loyalty and strength in Native American lore. That seems like the kind of traits a football team should all be about. 

In addition, the Red Wolf is indigenous of the Southeastern United States -- and as well know Washington D.C. is the gateway to the Southeast, is it not? 

Thirdly, who doesn't like dogs? Outside of the Cleveland Browns -- who reluctantly use the Dog Pound and a bull dog as an alternate logo/mascot -- no team in the NFL is named after a K9. Think about that. You could replace the Native American in the logo design with the head of a wolf. Keep the colors and uniform mostly the same. It could work. 

Either one could work. 

Steve Cohen Highest Bidder for New York Mets

If you have ever seen the Showtime TV series "Billions" you know very well that Bobby Axlerod (Damien Lewis) never gives up on a deal, even if it's going to cost him a lot of money.

Well, hudge fund manager Steve Cohen, whose life "loosely" serves as a basis for the character is not giving up in his pursuit of the New York Mets.

Quiet the contrary.

 Instead, Cohen has put forward a deal that blows the competition right out of the water. Cohen is offering to pay up to $2 billion to buy the baseball team, and an additional $2 billion to buy the Mets television station, SNY, away from the Wilpons.

That is $4 billion big ones! How do the Wilpon's not say 'yes' to this?

The offer blows away the proposal by Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez, which around a reported $1.7 billion. Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils co-owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer are also in the mix for the Mets.

According to reports, Mets COO Jeff Wilpon would prefer to sell the team to the J-Rod if their offer is close. Clearly the only reason the Wilpon's would take less money is if it means they can hang around like bats in chimney, while still overseeing the TV station.

Part of the reason the Cohen deal fell apart in February had to do with the amount of control the Wilpon's wanted to maintain in the Mets, which would have taken five years for them to ceeed more than 80 percent control.

Cohen, 64, is no spring chicken and wants to have full autonomy -- duh, who wouldn't.

All Mets fans can do right now is hope and prey that the Wilpon's take the Cohen deal. It's a good deal as good as anyone is about to offer for both the team and network. The Wilpon's would leave as rich as ever and the team would then be in the hands of someone who is a reported fan who would likely devote endless money to the franchise -- something the club desperately needs in a major market.

MLB Releases 60-Game Schedule as Players Question Return

Things are not so rosy in the land of Major League Baseball right about now.

MLB released its 60-game schedule for all 30 clubs. Every schedule is rationalized based only on divisional match-ups and interleague against the opposite geographic division (i.e. AL East vs. NL East, et al).

However, many players and even teams are voicing deep concerns about proceeding with a season. Already Braves outfielder Nick Markakis opted not to play in 2020, joining a long list of players that includes Nationals' Ryan Zimmerman and Rockies' Ian Desmond. Markakis pointed to Freddie Freeman, who was diagnoised with COVID-19 as part of the impetus for him to not play this season.

On top of that Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant pointed out baseball's inconsistencies regarding testing, noting that players have shown up to camp who haven't been tested. MLB initially agreed to test every other day. Then there are the lack of results. The Phillies, Nationals and Athletics have had to cancel and postpone workouts because they didn't have the testing results on COVID-19 readily available. 

This is a huge problem. Add to the fact that COVID-19 took out an independent league baseball against the Milwuakee Milkmen and Chicago Dogs of the American Association, and you have the recipe for a disaster.

Will we have a season? Right now it doesn't look good.

If we do, the Yankees will open up the schedule July 23 at Washington against the defending World Series Champion Nationals in primetime. That game will be followed by the San Francisco Giants at the LA Dodgers.

The Mets will open the season July 24 at home against the Atlanta Braves at 4:10. Who knows what the Braves will look like by that time -- if play proceeds.

Check out the schedules here!

Debating Jamal Adams Future with the New York Jets

The Jets and Jamal Adams are in a stalemate over his contract status. Adams wants to be the highest paid safety in the NFL, while the Jets are juggling with salary cap concerns moving forward over the next two years (COVID-19 aside). That and reports this week from the NY Daily News that Adam Gase is a big reason why Adams is requesting a deal. Dan Feuerstein and I debate it. Watch:

'Redskins' Might Be On Way Out

In a society that has been juggling with the controversy of race relations of late, the Washington Redskins -- after years upon years of debate -- are now strongly considering removing the name 'Redskins' as the teams identity and branding.

The discussion comes up as racial tensions are at its highest peak in the United States in the months since George Floyd's killing in Minneapolis. Since that time not only has the Country seen peaceful protest calling for reforms to policing, but complete and total anarchy in the streets that have bordered on lawlessness, and with it a cancel culture mentality that is leaving nothing and nobody to chance.

The 'Redskins' controversy is now front and center.

For years there has been outside pressure for the 'Skins to change the teams name to anything that doesn't remind people of the racist sensibilities of the phrase "Redskins." Owner Dan Snyder has been stringent in his resolve to not change the name, but it appears that now, he has finally shown a willingness to make the move.

A big reason why is the fact that FedEx, which has naming rights to the 'Skins stadium for $205 million through 2025 wants the name gone. Nike and Pepsi Co have now joined the calls for the name 'Redskins' to be abolished. Nike even took a step farther but removing Redskins gear from its website.

Welcome to the world of Cancel Culture 2020, Dan Snyder.

As a result the 'Skins and the NFL are sending out statement that they will consider a name change.

"This process allows the team to take into account not only the proud tradition and history of the franchise, but also the input from all alumni ... and the local community ...", Snyder said in a statement.

In other words, the name "Redskins" is history.

But what will replace it? The team was once known as the Braves, when they were formed in Boston back in 1932. It would make sense to simply switch to that name since it would the nod to the franchise's history and past would be maintained.

Even the name Warriors would be a good name to use as well with a nod to the franchise's history. In either case, the 'Skins could (I would imagine) keep their colors, uniforms and logo and just change the name. They could even bring back the spear logo that they once used as an alternate throwback in the early 2000s. I don't think anyone would have an issue if they were simply re-branded the team Washington Braves or Washington Warriors and kept everything else the same.

The 'Skins uniforms is one of the classic looks of the NFL -- one that has been part of plenty of successful seasons and Super Bowl runs. It would be nice if they kept it.

Then again there could be a total re-branding (i.e. Washington Hawks, or Washington Generals or Washington Senators) -- which considering the amount of time and effort teams put into changing uniforms, might take some time to get completed -- especially, since we are just weeks away from training camp.

It wouldn't be unusual to see a total rebrand, we've seen it before. The Cleveland Browns became the Baltimore Ravens, only because the city of Cleveland sued to keep the teams name, color and uniform in Cleveland when the team left for Maryland following the 1995 season. The Tennessee Titans were the Houston Oilers and Tennessee Oilers before rebranding in 1999. Now you can't find anything related to the Oilers with the Tennessee franchise except for a couple of murals to Eddie George and Steve McNair. 

Snyder could meet people halfway, change the name to Braves now, leave the uniform and logo alone and say the franchise would consider a new uniform and logo design for 2021 at the earliest.