The Sports Guru

Here are some of my takes on what’s been going on in the wacky world of sports…

**Are you as excited as I am that Roger Clemens is coming back….Again?  I really am.  Everytime he takes the mound it’s like seeing Nolan Ryan or Sandy Koufax one last time.  You never really know when the end will come, so I am enjoying every chance I get to see a living legend.  I was at the last game Nolan Ryan ever pitched in Cleveland.  It was at the old Municipal Stadium, and even though the place a an empty cavern most nights, on this particular night there were 65,000 baseball fans in attendance.  Not so much to see the home-team but to see a legend as he mead his way towards retirement.  No one know for sure if this was going to be it, but everyone wanted to see it in case it was.  Ryan indeed retired at the end of the season as arm troubles finally caught up with him.  Even at 46 however, the Ryan Express was still sittin’ em down.

To me it is the same with Clemens.  Now 43, Clemens is still pitching at a very high level.  His ERA last year was below 2 and won him the N.L E.R.A title.  It was obvious, however that the number of innings he pitched was wearing on him and he left his only World Series start after 2 innings.  Clemens looked tired and old, and in fact he was.

This season, the Rockets pledged only to pitch in the World Baseball Classic, and looked great.  He then waited until may 31st to announce he was coming back.  If all goes well, he’ll make his first start on June 22, over a 1/3 of the way through the season.  He should be much fresher in September and possibly October as the Astros try to make another run.  If he can continue this type of schedule, there is no telling how many years Roger could pitch.  At 341 wins, 350 is definitely a possibilty this year.  After that, who knows, but I know one thing, I’ll cherish each and every start.

**Detroit staved off elimination last night by beating the Heat in the Palace.  The score was not indicative of just how close the game was.  Both team struggled from the field, but one stat simply jumped off the page at me: Free Throw Percentage.

Miami shot an embarrassing 30% from the stripe.  Read it again, 30 PERCENT!  6-20 form the line in a game that they ultimately lost by 13.  This is how bad professional basketball has become.  Fundamentals as a whole have gone out the window, but the inability of players making MILLIONS of dollars to hit a shot from 15 feet away with noone defending them has become borderline ludacris.  Players we consider the best in the game are the worst from the stripe.  Shaq, Ben Wallace, Tim Duncan….all poor FT shooters.  Duncan was actually a good FT shooter in college and early in his career, then began to struggle and has ever sense.

I love basketball, and I love the NBA, but sometimes it is very difficult to watch.  6/20 from the stripe for a team many pick to win the Title is just, plain sad!

**In the words of the immortal Harry Doyle, “In case you haven’t noticed, and judging by the attendance you haven’t, the Indians have managed to win a few and are threatening to get out of the basement in the AL Central!”  Ok, so i changed some of the words, and things aren’t THAT bad, but the past couple of night have been significant for a few reasons.

One, they have beat the White Sox two straight after getting slapped around 11-0 in the first game of a crucial 4 game series.

Two, Not only have they won, but it is the WAY they have done it.  Solid starting pitching, timely hitting and light-out bullpen, just like last year.  Ironically, it about this time last year that the team starting hitting on their way to the best record in all of baseball after May 31st.

True, two games does not momentum make, but we need to start somewhere.  I am going to say this now…The Tigers do not care me.  To much youth in the rotation to go with the Gambler, who traditionally fades in the 2nd half.  The team the Tribe needs to stay with is the White Sox.  If they can, I believe they’ll be in the thick of the wild-card race at the end of the season.  And that is the idea, just get to October any way you can.  After last night’s win, our “Friends of the Feather” are now 5-3 against the Pale-Hose, equalling their win total against the Champs for all of last year.(5-14)

Tonite’s game is the key.  They need Paul Byrd to step up and give them the type of innings that Scott Elarton did last season.  6-7 innings, 3 runs.  A qualtiy start to give this team a chance.  If Cleveland can win tonite, to take 3/4 in the series, I look for them to go on a roll.  If Byrd gets shelled early, it could be back to square one.