* OK, we’re only approaching mid-June, but, still, who would have thought the Rays would have a better record than the Cubs? Likely not Kevin Cash–or Joe Maddon.
* If the Rays wind up being July “sellers,” the two names being bandied about the most: closer Alex Colome and starting pitcher Alex Cobb. Especially the latter. Cobb is less than five months from free agency.
* The Tampa Bay Times noted that Target Field, where the Minnesota Twins recently hosted the Rays, was worth emulating when it comes to stadium design and synergy priorities for the Rays. Target, pointed out the Times, is on a relatively small footprint and is surrounded by bar/restaurant activity. One key component, however, was omitted. Target Field has a transit stop. Huge factor.
*American men’s tennis is nowhere internationally these days. But that’s hardly the case for post-Tiger Woods, American golfers. American Dustin Johnson is ranked first in the world, and four other Americans are in the top 15.
* The Lightning reported season ticket sales passing the 14,500 mark. For perspective, in 2010 it was 4,000.
* I look in on college baseball’s Super Regionals to see how the Florida schools are doing and who will be advancing to the College World Series in Omaha. One other reason is to see a sport–worthy of its ESPN coverage–with its share of schools that are hardly sports powers. While this year’s Super Regionals included the familiar likes of Florida, Florida State and LSU, it also included the less-familiar likes of Sam Houston State, Davidson and Missouri State.
That’s more likely to happen in a non-revenue sport, and it’s good for college baseball.
* The only “perfect game” I ever saw in total, in live time, was the 1964 one tossed by the Philadelphia Phillies Jim Bunning. Sunday, June 21, Fathers Day. We all watched it on TV. It’s what we did as a Philadelphia family after mass at St. Timothy’s Catholic Church and a late scrapple-and-egg breakfast.
Bunning, 85, died recently and the memory of that game came cascading back.
Bunning had 10 strikeouts and threw only 87 pitches. He was all business and looked the part. He didn’t tug at his cap to affect a hip angle or need to tuck in a necklace or overly massage the ball or fondle the resin bag or amble about the mound or work on an intimidating stare. The 6-0 win over the Mets at Shea Stadium took 2:19. The day was still young.
Later that night, Bunning was on the Ed Sullivan Show. There he looked more like the guy who would eventually become the only Baseball Hall of Fame player to have served in Congress. Representing Kentucky–in very conservative, non-Philly fashion–Bunning served six terms in the House and two in the Senate.
Bunning also had a killer quote in his farewell address to the Senate in 2010. “I have also thought that being able to throw a curveball,” he acknowledged, “never was a bad skill for a politician to have.”