Lee Lowenfish

I have a historical mind. So here's some consolation for Mets fans enduring a 11-game losing streak: Back in the 1951 season when I was a precocious naive 9-year old, the NY Giants lost 11 in a row in April and wound up winning the National League pennant on Bobby Thomson's dramatic playoff home run.  I'm not predicting a great rebound for this bunch of aging strangers playing out of position brought in to replace such still-serviceable fan favorites like Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo - and how can I not mention onetime Yankee relievers Luke Weaver and Devin Williams that owner Steve Cohen thought would stick it to his crosstown rivals! - but there are still around 140 games to play.

 

Of course, daily reminders about how awful you are on so-called "social" media doesn't help turn around a team. But if misery loves company, the Mets are not the only supposed contender stuck right now way under .500.  Houston endured a 7-game losing streak and are now 8 under .500. The Phillies and Red Sox are limping along at 5 under .500. And so is defending AL champion Toronto - considered somewhat of a contender, Kansas City is 8 under as they return home to meet the Orioles.

 

I sure wish that I didn't have to revive the nickname Woerioles, but my team though only 2 below .500 at 10-12 is giving no indication of improving in any area of its game - hitting, starting pitching, and defense. They are striking out at an alarming rate even in this day when strikeouts are almost encouraged by the analytic geniuses in every organization. Woeriole injuries started pre-season and haven't stopped. Baltimore lost over a half-million fans last season when it became clear that the magic sauce that defied analytic predictions in 2023 and 2024 had lost its potency. Gunnar Henderson, the Birds' most talented player, has stayed healthy but is hitting barely over .200 and his defense at shortstop is erratic: Makes great plays, botches easier ones. I still think he might be more suited for third base where he played a couple of games to acclaim in the World Baseball Classic. Even more disturbing, he still throws tantrums on the field when things don't go his way. 

 

This past Sat night Apr 18 in Cleveland, a pitcher's duel was lost in Cleveland when with the pitch clock winding down, Dean Kremer couldn't communicate on his pitch.com device with rookie catcher Samuel Basallo. Instead of calling for time, Kremer threw the pitch anyway and Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio belted a 3-run homer that turned a 1-0 lead into a 3-1 hole and ultimate 4-2 loss. Memo to majority owner David Rubenstein and President of Baseball Operations Mike Elias who has not even named a GM beneath him because he evidently possesses supernatural powers: Those half a million lost Baltimore fans are not gonna flock back despite the bells and whistles brought in by Katie Griggs, former business manager of the Mariners who remain BTW the only franchise in MLB never to have been to a World Series (although they came close to World Series last season and their attendance is healthy. It should be noted that Seattle doesn't face competition from a nearby franchise in Washington DC as the Orioles do. And although Portland, Oregon, three hours away has one of the better and money-rich proposals for an expansion team, Seattle has quietly opposed that entry.)

 

Enough of today's rant. (Tomorrow is another day LOL.) Here are some surprisingly good stories in the early going.  The NL Central has seen the resurgence of three recent non-contenders, Cincinnati, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh. They are currently enough games over .500 that a series sweep won't sink them. I am happy for these historic franchises and their fans that have not tasted glory for a long time, especially the Pirates.  I don't know how long Paul Skenes - pronounced Beans - can stay a Pirate given the huge price tag for reliable starters, but every contender must have an ace and it seems that the rest of the rotation is improving too.  Cincinnati has been winning some remarkable games with late rallies.  Yesterday Sun Apr 19, manager Terry "Tito" Francona started a lineup at Minnesota of 6 players hitting WELL under .200. They still rallied to take a late lead that wasn't held but the Reds won it in the 10th helped by two Twins errors.  Kudos to Hall of Fame sportswriter Hal McCoy for his lively game story yesterday.  (Fighting blindness earlier this century, McCoy thought about retiring but Reds infielder Aaron Boone - yes that Aaron Boone! - encouraged him to fight on which he has done nobly.)

 

There have been some other heartwarming individual stories that warm the heartstrings of this snarky realistic-romantic.

**First baseman Dom Smith, once a backup on the Mets to his friend Pete Alonso, has found a home in Atlanta. He has hit some big home runs for his new team and befriended the family of fans who caught one of his round-trippers.

**Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, who may be moving on after the team was eliminated in the play-in round of NBA playoffs, sent a handwritten letter to Toronto manager John Schneider after the Blue Jays lost that winnable extra-inning Game 7 to the Dodgers lin the thrilling 2025 World Series. Kerr praised Schneider for how he kept his team together during that series when they were down 2-0 at the start.  He offered Schneider solace by noting that after his Warriors lost a 7-game NBA final to LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers, they rebounded to win the next two titles.

 

A reminder:  I'll be appearing on a panel this Friday night Apr 24 after a 6P showing of "42" the 2013 movie starring Harrison Ford as Branch Rickey and

the late Chadwick Boseman as "42," Jack Roosevelt Robinson.  Event will be held at the Ferguson Public Library in downtown Stamford, CT. Admission is free.

 

That's all for now.  Always remember:  Take it easy but take it, and Stay Positive, Test Negative!   

No doubt the schedule came at the right time to help my scuffling Orioles. Although my Birds couldn't sweep either the tail-end Colorado Rockies in Denver or the historically bad Chicago White Sox at home, at least they won each series. And even won 3 games in a row for the first time since June.  

 

It is a very strange AL East pennant race this season.  It's remarkable how since the early summer neither the Orioles or Yankees have managed to play like a real World Series contender. With the demotion of Yankee closer Clay Holmes and the season-long doubt on who really can close for Baltimore, both teams have question marks in a key area of the bullpen.

 

Since I last posted, the injury bug has again bitten the Orioles, two in the same Sat night Aug 31 game in Colorado. Third baseman Ramon Urias, who had provided an unexpected offensive boost in August, sprained an ankle when he stumbled on the third base bag trying to make a tag on a Colorado base stealer.

 

Earlier that game, starting pitcher Dean Kremer got smoked just above the wrist on his pitching hand by a 103-mph one-hopper hit by Colorado

outfielder Jordan Beck.  Rarely does a couch potato like yours truly see the swelling come up immediately on the TV screen but it did in this case.   

 

Kremer, the only dual citizen-Israeli-American player in MLB history, is vowing to not miss a turn which manager Brandon Hyde calls "incredible".

Sure enough he plans to start on Friday Sep 6 in the opener of a home series against the Tampa Bay Rays. 

 

I am not a big one for highlighting strength of schedule in the last month of the season. IT'S HOW YOU ARE PLAYING, NOT WHO YOU ARE PLAYING AT THIS TIME OF YEAR. 

 

After Tampa Bay, Orioles go on to Fenway to play fading Red Sox whose recent offensive drought has surprised me - their pitching and their overall defense doesn't seem ready for prime time.   

 

Over the weekend of Sep 13, Birds go on to Detroit for 3 games, a .500 team playing much better these days. The Tigers also have the leading contender for AL Cy Young award, southpaw Tarik Skubal.  The Baltimore final home stand consists of 3 with the SF Giants Sep 17-19 and then the final home games of the regular season against the Tigers. 

 

The Orioles wind up season on the road - 3 big night games at Yankee Stadium likely to determine AL East winner, Tu-Th Sep 24-26. Then to Minnesota to play an inconsistent, oft-injured Twins team fighting for a wild card with Kansas City.  Cleveland seems to be in driver's seat to win AL Central with 4 game lead on Minnesota, 5 over KC before games of Fri Sep 6. 

 

The Yankee September schedule starts with 3 at the Cubs Sept 6-8, then 3 big ones back home against the Royals, then 4 with the Red Sox Sept 13-16.  Then a road trip to the west coast at Seattle Sep 17-19, three at Oakland Sep 20-22 with the A's .

 

All things considered, Oakland has had a good season, given their pending move to Sacramento for three seasons until the supposed new stadium in Las Vegas is built.  Mark Kotsay will get some deserved Manager of the Year votes but I think Cleveland's rookie skipper Stephen Vogt has to be

considered the leading candidate. 

 

Yankees return home for the 3 big night games against the Orioles. Yankees have an edge in that they host fading Pirates for the last three games.  I kinda doubt that Pittsburgh will send out possible NL Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes in one of those games.  

 

At least the Pirates have announced that Skenes will pitch deep into September to get the experience of competing in the climactic month of regular season, something the Buccos have sadly not enjoyed first-hand for too long.  (As promising as Skenes looks, it will be hard to deny ROY award to the Padres' productive center fielder Jackson Merrill.) 

 

In the National League races, the Dodgers, Phillies, and Brewers have almost clinched division titles but there is quite a wild card crunch coming among Padres, Diamondbacks, Braves, and Mets. One of those teams will not make it - as of morning of Sep 6, only 2 games separated them. 

 

I have been tardy in not giving props to the Mets' resurgence.  Stuck at 22-33 in first half of season, they are now a bona fide wild card contender.

If Shohei Ohtani were not also in the National League, shortstop Francisco Lindor would be an MVP favorite.

 

He's been playing sensationally on both sides of the ball and even came up with a great quote after he won an eleven-pitch AB in the Aug 29 win over the also resurgent defending-NL champion Arizona Diamondbacks.   "I GET PAID TO HIT THE BALL FORWARD," Lindor said.

 

The arrival of veteran infielder Jose Iglesias has provided spark and levity to a team that seemed to lack it.  The starting pitching has settled in

with Sean Manaea and former number one draft pick David Peterson really looking good.  If Edwin Diaz at the back end of the bullpen can get

the saves, they could be a dangerous team in the playoffs. 

 

I've often been a critic of the so-called balanced schedule that reduced intra-division games from 19 to 13.  It turns out though that the Mets play 4 of their final series against NL East teams.   After the Reds at home Sep 6-8 and Blue Jays on road, they go to Philly and return to play Washington

and Philadelphia again, the last home regular season series Sep 20-22. 

 

Then likely a very big series at Atlanta Sep 24-26 - as I post on morning Fri Sep 6, Mets are tied with Braves for 3rd wild card.

Mets wind up with 3 with Brewers in Milwaukee, the runaway winners of the NL Central. There will likely be more pressure on Mets at this time because Brewers would only be playing for best record in the National League. 

 

Best advice for baseball in September still comes from legendary Mets broadcaster Bob Murphy:  "Fasten your seat belts."    

 

Now it's time for a new feature . . .  LEE LOW'S TIPS OF CAP!

**Mets cable channel, SNY.TV, featured a fascinating interview in late August with former Mets reliever/now broadcaster Jerry Blevins and Mets rookie third baseman Mark Vientos. In separate segments, they interviewed each other about their careers.  It was not typical pap but provided frank and revealing insights.  I hope it can be accessed on the sny.tv website.

 

**"I don't want flowers at my retirement," tennis star Danielle Collins explained last week after turning down an offering from tennis officials when she lost her singles match last week at the US Open.   She said she didn't want to be like the character Gaylord in "Meet The Parents," the 2004 film in which Ben Stiller plays the son of doting parents that fills his bedroom with runner-up trophies.

 

**Speaking of tennis, here's to the two Americans who made or will make the men's and women's finals for the first time since 2002:

Jennifer Pegula who plays Belorussian Aryna Sabalenka in the women's final on Sa Sep 7 at 4P EDT on ESPN

 

**And either Taylor Fritz or Frances Tiafoe who play each other on F Sep 6 at 7P on ESPN

The winner meets either highly-favored Italian Jannik Sinner or English southpaw Jack Draper on Fri Sep 6 an 3P on ESPN

Men's final will be Su Sep 6 at 2P on ABC network - rebroadcast at 830P that night on ESPN2. 

  

That's all for now - my mantras remain:  Stay positive test negative & Take it easy but take it.