CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — New York Yankees baseball fans everywhere have little to cheer about these days as the Houston Astros drubbed the Yankees 8-3 in Gotham on Thursday night to take a commanding 3-1 lead with Game 5 going Friday night at Yankee Stadium.
It is painful but by the time you read this story, New York may be on the sidelines. Even if they prolong the series, the scene will shift to Houston for Games 6 and 7, if necessary, where the Astros have Gerrit Cole, 19-0 since June, waiting in the wings.
From the outset of the season, I have had my doubts about New York’s stacked right-handed hitting lineup and wondered what would happen if they drew a team with quality right-handed pitching like Houston or Washington. Hitting home runs in the regular season against inferior pitching from the American League teams like Baltimore, Toronto and Detroit is not a problem, but when the playoffs begin, and matched against much-better pitching, New York’s Achilles heel is exposed.
To compound matters, New York’s management relies heavily on analytics, which provides acceptable tactics in the regular season but can’t be relied upon in the post-season. The World Series is much like the Stanley Cup playoffs, regular season means nothing in post-season play.
Houston’s Jose Altuve set the stage earlier in this series when the Yankees employed an open right side of the infield with flame-thrower Luis Severino on the mound. There is no way Altuve was going to pull the big righty, so Altuve ripped a single into right, starting a key game-winning strategy.
Houston did the same thing with Aaron Judge. The difference being Houston’s big RBI men are delivering and New York’s are not.
The USA media have been writing all year about how the game of baseball has changed, but it has changed very little: great pitching, defence, small ball and seeing the game through your own eyes wins a World Series, not mammoth home runs and analytics.
Hockey
The Charlottetown Islanders and UPEI Panthers are on the road today and after early results, it looks like the Islanders are just as strong as last season. Each game a new star emerges and in recent outings I have been impressed by Gaetan Jobin, the youngster from Switzerland. Nikita Alexandrov and Thomas Casey had 12 and 10 points, respectively, entering Friday’s action and I’m waiting for Brett Budgell to get on a tear.
Marathon
The P.E.I. Marathon gets underway Sunday in Brackley and concludes at the cenotaph in Charlottetown.
Distance running is growing everywhere as evident last week in Chicago where 45,900 attempted to complete the 26-mile course. P.E.I.’s Stan Chaisson posted an astonishing time of 2:32 to finish sixth among Canadians and 169thoverall in the field. Islander Jocelyn Peterson finished in 3:08 and finished 333rd in a field of 21,700 women, while her husband Michael stopped the clock in 2:47 to place 636th in the 45,900-runner field. These are remarkable outcomes.
Joanne and Shawn Shea of Stratford also completed the marathon and I believe Francis Fagan did as well. Pam Power McKenna and Gerard Chaisson have been in training and may also be running here in the P.E.I. marathon tomorrow.
Harness racing
Rose Run Quest has the outside in this afternoon’s feature in Charlottetown. It is Race 11 on the 12:30 p.m. harness racing card. This pacer won the Breeders Crown aged pacer event Sunday and will likely be the favourite in the six-horse field against Euchred and Screen Test.
The $2,700 open mares goes in Race 9 and Lilian and Brian Ladner’s Jordies Hope looks like the one to beat in a field that includes Traces of Purple, Imagine Speed and three others.
The Grand Circuit Breeders Crown eliminations goes tonight at Mohawk and Maritime-owned Century Farroh, trained by Dr. Ian Moore for owner Dave Ratchford, has the rail in his elimination against Captain Crunch, Dancin Lou and four others. Sensational and diminutive Bettors Wish has the rail in the other elimination and meets Jug winner Southwind Ozzi. Cape Breton-owned Bronx Seelster is in this one while James MacDonald handles Covered Bridge for Blake MacIntosh.
In other Breeders Crown events, James has the rail with Ideation Hanover, but is in against Warrawee Ubeaut. He also has Seaside Bliss in the three-year-old filly trot.
The Grand Circuit Breeders Crown two-year-old trot went Friday night and Anthony MacDonald’s Ohio-bred Globetrotting drew Post 7 in a tough eight-horse field.
Pigskin picks
The NFL heads into Week 7 and after last Saturday’s picks, you should have filled your pockets. The Sports Prophet went 5-for-5, including two road underdogs much to the delight of UPEI gridiron standout Shane Dowling. Here’s a look at this week’s games:
Miami Dolphins (0-5) at Buffalo Bills (4-1) – Even Charlottetown Coun. Mitch Tweel gets this one right, Bills in a rout.
Oakland Raiders (3-2) at Green Bay Packers (5-1) – The Packers stole the Monday night game from Detroit and their D has been terrific. I like Raiders QB Derek Carr but in Lambeau Field, the Pack will cover the seven points.
New Orleans Saints (5-1) at Chicago Bears (3-2) – The Bears will need to generate more than 14 points to beat the Saints, and I don’t think they can against a very, tough Saints defence. The Bears are three-point home favourites, but The Prophet loves the Saints to win outright.
Baltimore Ravens (4-2) at Seattle Seahawks (5-1) – The Ravens are not the same defensive club they once were and beating Seattle, which has QB Russell Wilson, at home is not going to happen. The Seahawks are home favourites by three points. The spread should be much larger.
New England Patriots (6-0) at New York Jets (1-4) – If you have already filled your pockets on the above picks, the Monday night game is no laugher. The Jets play hard and have their quarterback of the future Sam Darnold back. The Jets also have running back Le’Veon Bell and a couple of young receivers while the Patriots could be without safety Patrick Chung and linebacker Dont’a Hightower. The Jets will cover the 10-point spread and could knock the Pats from the unbeaten ranks.
Fred MacDonald's column appears every Saturday in The Guardian. He can be reached at [email protected].
