Baseball: Sticky sitch in MLB. Yankees 3rd triple-play. Schwarber 5 HRs in 2 games. Keuchel loses to former team. Wander #1 MLB prospect.
Basketball-NBA: Conference Finals! Bucks vs Hawks and Clippers vs Suns.
Football: CFP expansion moves next stage.
Golf: Rahm wins US Open.
Hockey: Frozen Four and it’s all tied up!
Motorsports: Marquez is back!
Olympic Sports: Team USA for Swimming is set! T&F gets underway – Felix adds another Olympics. Gymnastics to be decided this week. Spectators allowed.
Tennis: Osaka WD from Wimbledon but in on Olympics. Nadal out of both.
Baseball-MLB:
- There has been an update on the sticky situation in the MLB. The league is letting umpires conduct inspections of pitchers after innings pitched or when they come out of the game and if they’re doing something suspicious, even during at-bats. Their hat, gloves and belts can be examined along with anywhere else the ump wants. Closers will be checked before they pitch. Umpires are being given the responsibility of checking for the sticky stuff as the league does not want retroactive findings to have any bearing on games. That can get sticky in a different way.
- If a pitcher is caught using a banned substance, he will be ejected and suspended for 10 days. And the team cannot replace the player on the roster! If a player does this multiple times, harsher punishments will be used but no specifics were given.
- Full read up
- The Yankees had a rare triple-play to end the game last night against the A’s, getting out the go-ahead run in the final inning. Although it’s not too rare for this team; this is the Yankee’s 3rd triple-play which ties the MLB record of the most in a single season. Def be sure to check out the video!
- Nationals LF Kyle Schwarber hit 3 HRs in last nights game after 2 in the previous game to tie a league record of 5 HRs in a 2 game span. He also set a team record by hitting 9 HRs in 10 games. He has now hit 18 HRs this season Needless to say Schwarber is in the lead off spot in the lineup.
- Former Astro and now White Sox P Dallas Keuchel lost his first appearance against his former team 8-2 on Sunday. Keuchel won the Cy Young award in 2015 and won the World Series with Houston in 2017. He only pitched 2 2/3 innings and allowed 6 runs. The Astros swept the white Sox 4-0 in the series.
- The #1 MLB prospect has officially been called up to the majors by the Rays. Wander Franco is league’s #1 prospect and a switch-hitting infielder. He will play starting tomorrow against the Red Sox.
Baseball-NCAA: (since there is a slot going on)
- The College World Series is set to start this weekend! Game 1 is Saturday @ 1pm on ESPN….
Basketball:
- NBA playoffs are now at the Conference Finals and the 4 teams are: Hawks, Suns, Bucks and Clippers. Of those teams, the most recent championship was the Bucks in 1971 and the Hawks in 1958. The other 2 teams have never won the whole thing.
- The Hawks beat the favorite for the East championship, the 76ers, in Game 7 last night 103-96. Rising super star, Trae Young, has had the 76ers number all series but Kevin Hunter was the leading scorer for the Atlanta team with 27 points. Joel Embiid had a good night but it just wasn’t enough. This is the Hawks 2nd East Conference Championship in 50 years.
- The Bucks also needed Game 7 to beat their Eastern opponent, the Nets with all the superstars. The Bucks beat the Nets 115-111 in Game 7 on Saturday night. KD put up an impressive 48 points but the Bucks took it to OT to win.
- The Clippers made easy work of the Jazz, winning their series 4-2 on Friday. The Jazz were leading Game 6 72-50 at half but the Clippers had 2 quarters of 40 points or more to rally for the W.
- The Suns were the first team to secure their spot in the conference finals, sweeping the Nuggets 4-0. They have had significantly more rest as their final game in that series was a week ago on Sunday the 13th. That still didn’t stop them from winning last night 120-114 over the Clippers to take Game 1.
Football:
- The CFP expansion to 12 teams plan is moving forward. The proposal will be presented to CFP committee members on Tuesday in a meeting. The earliest an expansion could even happen would be 2023. The players are supposedly amped for the change and this would likely cut down on the number of athletes sitting out the bowl games. TBD how this will progress.
Golf:
- In typical Father’s Day fashion, the US Open was this weekend and it was truly a poetic finish! First time father, Jon Rahm won his first major on Father’s Day at the place that he won his first PGA Tour title and he proposed to his wife, Torrey Pines. This also comes just 15 days after he was leading the Memorial Tournament going into the final round by 6 before he was forces to WD due to a positive COVID test. Rahm said he firmly believes in karma and he kept a positive attitude through the COVID situation. Well, it paid off! He beat Open champion, Louis Oosthuizen with a 25ft birdie putt on the final hole. No one has ever birdied the final 2 holes to win the US Open before and no Spaniard had ever won before either. His wife, Kelley, gave birth to first son Kepa 10 weeks ago.
- Defending champion, Bryson DeChambeau, had looked strong all week until the final 9 holes where things imploded. He had gone 30 straight holes with no bogey before the 11th and 12th, bogeying both. He then double bogeyed the 13th and quadruple bogeyed the 17th. Bryson’s score on the final nine was +8, which put him at +3 for the tournament.
Hockey:
- Stanley Cup playoffs are underway! We are now up to the Semifinals and it is a tight contest. Both teams are tied 2-2 in their series. The Islander vs Lightning and the Canadiens vs Golden Knights.
Motorsports:
- It was another poetic ending on Sunday but this time in the MotoGP world. Marc Marquez, 6x World Champion, was undefeated at the German Sachsenring leading up to this weekend. Normally people don’t cheer for the undefeated favorite, however Marquez has been out of racing for the entire 2020 season (minus 26 laps) and beginning of the 2021 season with a broken arm that had complications causing 3 surgeries. He only returned to the track 5 races ago and definitely didn’t look like himself. So going into this weekend, it looked like someone else would be King of the Sachsenring. NOT! Marquez put on a brilliant performance in the raining threatening weather to bring home his 11th straight win at this track (skipped in 2020 due to condensed schedule). He was in tears and rightfully so in his post race interview. It had been 581 days since his last victory (this is huge considering he basically walked to his World Championship titles in recent years). It is so good to see him back on the top of the podium after what some people thought might be a career ending injury. Welcome back Marc!
Olympic Sports:
- US Swim Team is set for the Tokyo Olympics! Trials ended last might with the Men’s 1500m Free.
- Simone Manuel missed the 100m Free final in a shocking upset but she rallied to win the 50m Free on the final day to put herself on Team USA.
- See the US Swimming Trials page for the rest of the updates.
- US T&F Trials are underway. Some of the feel good stories…
- The hardest team to make the Olympics is the W 100m Hurdle team: 6 of the top 10 in the world are Americans. And finally, Keni Harrison can call herself an Olympian. Harrison was focused this time and punched her ticket. Congrats Keni! McNeal made the team however, Gabby Cunningham, keep your plans open because McNeal was only allowed to run in trials as her doping case is being appealed. If her appeal is denied (nd it will be reviewed before the games) then she will have to forfeit her spot.
- If you don’t know her story, she got 6th in the trials in 2016, when she was the favorite. Two weeks later, she broke the WR. Need less to say, she has waited a long time for this.
- Allyson Felix and Quanera Hayes made it look like Mother’s Day instead of Father’s Day yesterday after the 400m final. Both moms are on their way to Tokyo! Felix came back to secure her spot in her 5th Olympics from Lane 8 – and it is definitely worth watching!
- The 100m is the most anticipated race of the Olympics and we know who will be competing for the title in Tokyo. Trayvon Bromell is undefeated this year and the trials were no different. However in a not feel good moment, 2004 Olympic Champion Justin Gatlin did not make Team USA after he tweeked his leg during the semifinal.
- See US T&F Trials page for more updates
- The hardest team to make the Olympics is the W 100m Hurdle team: 6 of the top 10 in the world are Americans. And finally, Keni Harrison can call herself an Olympian. Harrison was focused this time and punched her ticket. Congrats Keni! McNeal made the team however, Gabby Cunningham, keep your plans open because McNeal was only allowed to run in trials as her doping case is being appealed. If her appeal is denied (nd it will be reviewed before the games) then she will have to forfeit her spot.
- US Olympic Gymnastics trials are this week: June 24 – 27th. The men and women alternate days starting with the men on the 24th.
- The Tokyo Olympics has announced that it will allow limited spectators, up to 10k fans or 50% capacity whichever is less at each Olympic venue. If COVID cases rise over the next month, rules could still change.
- Team NZL is making history. Laurel Hubbard will be the first transgender athlete to compete at the Olympics. Hubbard competed in men’s weightlifting 8 years ago before transitioning. She is now 43, the oldest weightlifter in the Tokyo games and will be competing in the 87kg+ weightlifting event on August 2nd. Hubbard has met all IOC transgender regulations including that the gender must be changed 4 years before competition in the games and her testosterone level is below a specific measurement (10 nanomoles/L) for 12 months before her first competition. Keep in mind that 10 nanomoles/L is still 5x the biological women’s level of testosterone.
- 5x Olympians, Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi, have been named to the US Women’s basketball team for Tokyo 2020 along with 6 first-time Olympians. The US has won gold in this event in every Olympics since 1996.
- The Tour de France starts this weekend! The race will end on July 18th in Paris.
Tennis:
- Naomi Osaka withdraws from Wimbledon but says she is in for the Olympics. She said it is to take personal time with friends and family. I’m all for mental health but really didn’t you have enough family time during the COVID year? (personal feeling).
- Nadal has also WD from Wimbledon and also the Olympics. He has said he is listening to his body. Nadal has not made the Wimbledon final since 2011 and after the grueling semifinal loss to Djokovic, he said the turn around was too quick.
What to watch this week
Baseball-MLB:
- Mon 6/21
- Dodgers at Padres @ 9pm on ESPN
- Urias vs Darvish
- Dodgers at Padres @ 9pm on ESPN
- Wed 6/23
- Dodgers at Padres @ 9pm on ESPN
- Bauer vs Musgrove
- Dodgers at Padres @ 9pm on ESPN
- Sat 6/27
- Royals at rangers @ 3:05pm on FS1
- Minor vs Gibson
- 2 games depending on location @ 6:15pm on Fox
- Cubs at Dodgers
- Mills vs Urias
- Yankees at Red Sox
- Montgomery vs Eovaldi
- Cubs at Dodgers
- Royals at rangers @ 3:05pm on FS1
- Sun 6/28
- Cubs at Dodgers @ 6pm on ESPN
- Alzolay vs Kershaw
- Cubs at Dodgers @ 6pm on ESPN
Baseball–NCAA:
- Mon 6/21
- Elimination Game: Stanford vs Arizona @ xxpm on ESPNU
- NC St at Vanderbilt @ 7pm on ESPN
- Tues 6/22
- Elimination Game: Tennessee vs Texas @ 2pm on ESPNU
- UVA vs Mississippi St @ 7pm on ESPN
- Wed 6/23
- CWS Game 9: Winner of Stanford/Arizona vs Loser of Vandy/NC St @ 7pm on ESPN
- Thurs 6/24
- CWS Game 10: Winner of TN/TX vs Loser of Miss St./UVA @ 7pm on ESPN2
- Fri 6/25
- CWS Game 11: Teams TBA @ 2pm on ESPN2
- CWS Game 12: Teams TBA @ 7pm on ESPN
- Sat 6/26
- CWS Game 13: Teams TBA @ 2pm on ESPN2
- If necessary
- CWS Game 14: Teams TBA @ 7pm on ESPN
- If necessary
- CWS Game 13: Teams TBA @ 2pm on ESPN2
- Mon 6/28 – Wed 6/30 Championship Series (bets of 3)
Basketball-NBA:
- Tues 6/22 – West Conference Championship
- Game 2: Clippers at Suns @ 8pm on ESPN
- Wed 6/23 – East Conference Championship
- Game 1: Hawks at Bucks @ 7:30pm on TNT
- Thurs 6/24 – West Conference Championship
- Game 3: Suns at Clippers @ 8pm on ESPN
- Fri 6/25
- East Conference Championship
- Game 2: Hawks at Bucks @ 7:30pm on TNT
- FIBA 3×3 USA Nationals @ 2pm on NBCSN
- East Conference Championship
- Sat 6/27 – West Conference Championship
- Game 4: Suns at Clippers @ 8pm on ESPN
- Sun 6/28 – East Conference Championship
- Game 3: Bucks at Hawks @ 7:30pn on TNT
Golf:
- Thurs 6/24
- Travelers – Round 1 @ 2pm on Golf Channel
- Fri 6/25
- Travelers – Round 2 @ 2pm on Golf Channel
- Sat 6/26
- LPGA KPMG PGA Championship @ 12pm on NBC
- Travelers – Round 3
- @ 12pm on Golf Channel
- @ 2pm on CBS
- Sun 6/27
- Travelers – Round 4
- @ 12pm on Golf Channel
- @ 2pm on CBS
- LPGA KPMG PGA Championship @ 2pm on NBC
- Travelers – Round 4
Hockey:
- Mon 6/21
- Semifinals – Game 5: Islanders at Lightning @ 7pm on NBCSN
- Tied 2-2
- Semifinals – Game 5: Islanders at Lightning @ 7pm on NBCSN
- Tues 6/22
- Semifinals – Game 5: Canadiens at Golden Knights @ 8pm on NBCSN
- Tied 2-2
- Semifinals – Game 5: Canadiens at Golden Knights @ 8pm on NBCSN
- Wed 6/23
- Semifinals – Game 6: Lightning at Islanders @ 7pm on NBCSN
- Thurs 6/24
- Semifinals – Game 6: Golden Knights at Canadiens @ 7pm on USA
- Fri 6/25
- Semifinals – Game 7: Islanders at Lightning @ 7pm on NBCSN
- If necessary
- Semifinals – Game 7: Islanders at Lightning @ 7pm on NBCSN
- Sat 6/27
- Semifinals – Game 7: Canadiens at Golden Knights @ 7pm on NBCSN
- If necessary
- Semifinals – Game 7: Canadiens at Golden Knights @ 7pm on NBCSN
Motorsports:
- Thurs 6/24
- NASCAR: Whelen Series: Riverhead @ 3:30pm on NBCSN
- Sun 6/27
- NASCAR: Pocono Green 225 @ 11am on NBCSN
- MotoGP: Dutch GP @ 11am on NBC
- NASCAR: Explore Pocono Mountains 350 @ 2:30pm on NBCSN
- MotoGP: Dutch GP @ 9pm on NBCSN
Olympic Sports:
- Mon 6/21
- Track & Field: US Olympic Trials @ 6pm on NBCSN
- Finals: M PV, M Javelin, M TJ, W 1500m, M 800m, W 5k
- Track & Field: US Olympic Trials @ 7pm on NBC
- Track & Field: US Olympic Trials @ 6pm on NBCSN
- Thurs 6/24
- Gymnastics: Men’s Competition Day 1 @ 5pm on NBCSN
- Track & Field: US Olympic Trials @ 8pm on NBCSN
- Finals: W Shot Put, W 3000m Steeplechase
- Fri 6/25
- Track & Field: US Olympic Trials @ 4pm on NBCSN
- Finals: M Discus Throw, M 300m Steeplechase
- Various Olympic Trials @ 7pm on NBC
- Gymnastics: Women Day 1 @ 6:30pm
- Track & Field: US Olympic Trials @ 4pm on NBCSN
- Sat 6/26
- Cycling: Tour de France – Stage 1 @ 5:30am on NBCSN
- Various Olympic Trials @ 3pm on NBC
- Various Olympic Trials @ 8pm on NBC
- T&F Finals: Day 1 Heptathlon, M/W 20km Race Walk, W Hammer Throw, W Javelin, W Pole Vault, W Long Jump, M 400m Hurdles, W 10km, W 200m, M 110m Hurdles
- Gymnastics: Men’s Day 2 @ 1:30pm
- Sun 6/27
- Cycling: Tour de France – Stage 2 @ 5:30am on NBCSN
- Various Paralympic Trials @ 12:30pm on NBC
- Various Olympic Trials @ 6pm on NBC
- Various Olympic Trials @ 7:30pm on NBC
- T&F Finals: Day 2 Heptathlon, M High Jump, M Long Jump, W 400m Hurdles, M 5k, W 800m, M 1500m, M 200m
- Gymnastics: Women’s Day 2 @ 7pm
Soccer:
- Mon 6/21
- UEFA Euro 2020: MAC vs NED @ 11am on ESPN2
- UEFA Euro 2020: UKR vs AUT @ 11am on ESPN
- UEFA Euro 2020: FIN vs BEL @ 2pm on ESPN2
- UEFA Euro 2020: RUS vs DEN @ 2pm on ESPN
- Tues 6/22
- UEFA Euro 2020: CRO vs SCO (Scotland) @ 2pm on ESPN2
- UEFA Euro 2020: CZE vs ENG @ 2pm on ESPN
- Wed 6/23
- UEFA Euro 2020: SLO vs ESP @ 11am on ESPN
- UEFA Euro 2020: SWE vs POL @ 11am on ESPN2
- UEFA Euro 2020: GER vs HUN @ 2pm on ESPN2
- UEFA Euro 2020: POR vs FRA @ 2pm on ESPN
- Sat 6/27
- UEFA Euro 2020: Wales vs 2B @ 11am on ESPN
- UEFA Euro 2020: ITA vs 2C @ 2pm on ABC
- MLS: Sporting KC vs LAFC @ 4:30pm on ESPN
- Sun 6/28
- UEFA Euro 2020: NED vs 3rd place Group D/E/F @ 11am on ESPN
- UEFA Euro 2020: 1B vs 3rd place Group A/D/E/F @ 2pm on ABC
