‘So…This Happened’ is our quick-hitting weekly round-up of some of the biggest stories in sports. Take a read and own the water cooler sports conversations, if any of you actually have a water cooler that you hang out by to talk sports.
The July temperatures were sizzling. In the dog days of summer, a very special Hall of Fame class was enshrined in Cooperstown. We also got an absolutely epic tension-filled game between two of the best teams in baseball, the Yankees and the Twins. And as NFL football starts to awaken from its off-season slumber, some up in Cleveland (of all places) are speaking loudly and more often than perhaps they should. And we don’t even have time to get to robot umpires! (I, for one, bow to my new robot overlords…! But that, it seems, is for another day.)
OK! Away we go!
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1. Headlined by Mariano Rivera, the MLB Hall of Fame Class of 2019 Takes Its Rightful Place in Cooperstown.
This was a special class: Mariano Rivera, Mike Mussina, Edgar Martinez, and Roy Halladay (RIP).
Mariano, a class guy and the best closer of all time.
One last chance for Mo to close. 😂 pic.twitter.com/MWax6K0YcE
— MLB (@MLB) July 21, 2019
The statistics are insane – I’m partial to the “More Men Have Walked On the Moon (12) Then Scored on Mo in the Postseason (11)” one – but most wonderful part was that he went in surrounded by his buddies – Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada, and Derek Jeter all made the trip up and were by his side.
2. Yankees Comeback to Beat The Twins 14-12.
We had an instant classic in MLB last night, and we’re not even out of July. If this game had happened in October, we’d be talking about it for fifty years to come. It didn’t. But let’s talk about it for a little while at least!
The teams with the two best records in the American League are squaring off this week in Minnesota. And last night’s game was a doozy. The New York Times is calling it “The Game of the Year.”
Our friend @Jomboy_ is simply hyperventilating in absolute glee.
To summarize, the Twins – who lead baseball in home runs and its not close – bashed their way to an 8-2 lead against Yankees ace Domingo German. The Yankees came back late – riding huge hits by Didi (who would end up 5 for 5 with 7 RBI and some nifty defense) and Aaron Judge – to take a 10-9 lead. But the vaunted Yankees bullpen would not hold. Zac Britton game up a HR in the bottom of the 8th and the lead, as Sano crushed a HR top take an 11-10 lead.
Up steps Aaron Hicks with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, and he crushes a two-run HR to take the 12-11 lead!
In comes Yankees flamethrowing closer, Aroldis Chapman. And he has zero command. He walks the first three batters and gives up a sac fly, before managing to wriggle out of the inning. 12-12. We got to extras.
In the top of the 10th inning, Yankees wunderkind Gleyber Torres puts them ahead with a solid RBI single and they tack on a second run on a wild pitch on an 0-2 pitch.
With the two-run lead, the Yankees bring in their frisbee-slider-ing weapon, Adam Ottavino, who promptly loads the bases on walks sandwitched around a strikeout and a flashy defensive play at second. In comes Chad Green to face Twins emerging star, Max Kepler with two outs and the bases loaded.
Kepler sends a fastball like a laser into the gap – perfectly placed to score three and win the game – UNTIL, Aaron Hicks on the dead run angling back towards the warning track launches himself full extension, and makes a diving catch as he slides Superman-style across the dirt of the warning track.
Aaron Hicks with the catch of the year 😱 pic.twitter.com/WKsZDR9CCR
— Baseball Bros (@BaseballBros) July 24, 2019
Ballgame!!!!!
For a FAR better, zanier, and with less oxygen summary of this incredible game, check out Jake Story (@TalkinJake) on ‘Talkin Yanks below!
The Game of the year received the Burn of the year. #JakeyBurns pic.twitter.com/rRIpZ1Y0yA
— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) July 25, 2019
At any rate, here are the things we learned:
- Both these teams need pitching
- Aaron Hicks is really good and certainly better than John Ryan Murphy – the out of baseball catcher that the Yankees traded for him many moons ago
- Didi absolutely loves hitting against the Twins
- Both of these teams can mash
- Wow, that was fun
3. Odell Beckham Showing His True Colors – And They Ain’t Big Blue
Football creeps closer. They’re not playing yet, but they are talking.
One diva doing a lot of the talking is former So…This Happened posterboy, Odell Beckham, Jr.
Apparently, “he felt disrespected.”
Sigh.
As someone who spent a lot of time defending the guy, its time to finally admit that he is a “me first” and not a “team first” guy. For all the talent he has, it might well be that Big Blue is better off without him. ‘sniff.
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Photo Credit: @MLB/Twitter