Braves big bang
Yes, getting 11 runs of support can make any starting pitcher's job much easier, but those of us who are following the Braves - be it intently or casually enough until football is hot and heavy - had to feel better about Mike Foltynewicz last night.
The Braves rolled to a 12-7 win after building an 11-0 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth at Minnesota.
Folty allowed three earned in the home half of the sixth because of two Twins homers - hey, the Twins can hit, folks - but his numbers were solid, if not better than that. Five and a third innings, three hits and two walks with the three earned and seven Ks. Against that lineup, which leads the majors in dingers by a wide margin? Yes, that works.
There were two other observations from last night, however.
First the good. Yes, Cody Bellinger and Christian Yelich are the front-runners for the NL MVP, and considering their power numbers it looks like a two-horse race. Well, Ronald Acuna deserves to be in that discussion, too.
He's slashing .294/.376/.889 with 28 homers, 72 RBIs and 26 steals while playing Golden Glove-level outfield. He's on pace for 39 homers, 101 RBIs, 37 steals and 130 runs scored. Dang. You be you, Ronald.
We'll say it again. Dang.
As for the other, well, the Braves bullpen smells. Like really bad smells. Like when you are wondering if the sour cream has turned and you take a big whiff and, dang.
Side question: What is sour cream that has gone, well, sour? More sour cream? Sourer cream? Discuss.
Head-scratching headline
We pledged late last week to try to keep a better eye on my industry.
Only fair, we keep eyes on everyone else's.
Well, the hubbub from the New York Times caving to the backlash from the anti-Trump folks was quite interested this week.
Quick back story: The Times had a headline after the shootings and Trump's speech for its first edition that read "Trump Urges Unity vs. Racism." The left had kittens, especially AOC.
The Times changed the headline.
First, any collection of liberals being mad at the New York Times is comical.
Second, unless it was just 100 percent factually inaccurate, any news organization allowing the mob to dictate its policies and principles is a terrible trend. It's the baseline for business for Fox News and CNN.
I have higher standards for the New York Times, though.
Hard Knocks like gangbusters
OK, we likely will not have a weekly breakdown of each episode of "Hard Knocks," the HBO documentary show that follows an NFL team through training camp.
But episode one with the Oakland Raiders was excellent TV and highly entertaining right from the start.
How gripping was Gruden from the get-go? Try this quote on for size, and this was right among the first scenes in Tuesday's season premiere.
"I'm really not into dreams anymore. I'm into (bleeping) nightmares," Gruden said. "You guys with me on that? You've got to end somebody's dream. You've got to take their jobs. You've got to take their heart. Are you guys clear about this NFL (bleep) now? We're not trying to go to the Peach Bowl, we're not trying to go to the Gator Bowl, or the Bluebonnet Bowl. We're trying to go to the Super Bowl."
As expected, Antonio Brown was a big part of the first episode - and his kids asked where Ben Roethlisberger was - but other than Gruden, the two most entertaining players were first-year Raiders defenders Johnathan Abram and Ronald Ollie.
Ollie, a former standout from Last Chance U, was cut 30 minutes into the episode primarily because he seemed out of shape and lazy.
Abram was the headliner in the back half of the episode, poking fun at Derek Carr, asking how to pronounce "salmon" and going horseback riding as well as getting chastised for being too physical in practice.
Something tells me Abram will be humbled at some point in camp, and that will be fun to watch. Plus, there were a couple of controversial faces that will almost assuredly get some air time later this season considering the histories of Vontaze Burfict and Richie Incognito.
Welcome back "Hard Knocks," and way to open the season with a bang.
This and that
- We mentioned Thorbjorn Olesen getting arrested for sexual assault and urinating on a flight from Memphis to London. Here are more details.
Side point: How novel an approach for the European Tour to suspend Olesen until all the charges and legal matters are worked out. Boy, that sounds downright keen. Cue the Guinness guys. "Brilliant!"
- Hey, are we sleeping a little on the all-time greatness of Clayton Kershaw? Dude is 11-2 this year with a 2.77 ERA, a 1.04 WHiP and a .224 average against. That's a career year for a lot of folks. Each number other than winning percentage is worse than Kershaw's career numbers (1.01 WHiP, 2.41 ERA and .208 average against). Dang. Another dude.
- Not sure why ESPN chose today rather than tomorrow, which actually would be 8/8, but the odd sports that would occupy ESPN the Ocho have consumed ESPN 2 today. Cornhole. Rock, paper, scissors. Some sort of boxing/chess hybrid combo. All day long.
- OK, I enjoyed this. It's the best nicknames for each MLB team in advance of the upcoming nickname weekend when the players put their nicknames on the back of their jerseys. Hey, anything baseball can do to be more fun should be examined and embraced if possible. Some of them - Austin Slater going with AC in a hat tip to "Saved by the Bell" for example - are quite smile-worthy. How about Max Scherzer, who has two different colored eyes, going with Blue Eye this year? Last year, he went Brown Eye.
- Good stuff here from Weeds at the Tennessee State Am at The Honors.
Today's question
Not sure which way to go on a which-way Wednesday, but we'll start with this: If you were Alex Anthopoulos and anyone short of the Angels called and asked what it would take to acquire Ronald Acuna, which would you do first - laugh or simply just hang up the phone?
Speaking of young talent, Kyler Murray turns 22 today. Which way we going on Kyler, rookie of the year, mediocre season, bust-tastic?
From the well-done Godfiles. Charlize Theron turns 44 today. Kudos. And Mike Trout is 28 today. Yes, just 28. His career arc is pointed to some scary, pinnacle-like spots. This is Trout's ninth season and he has seven top-four MVP finishes. He's an all-timer, friends.
On this day 12 years ago, Barry Bonds became the all-time home run king.
On this day 15 years ago, the Mrs. 5-at-10 said yes.
On this day last year, my dad died. So there's that.
In honor of ESPN the Ocho, which is where we met Pepper and Cotton doing amazing play-by-play and color commentary in the underrated classic "Dodgeball," who makes Rushmore of sports movie announcers? And yes, Harry Doyle from "Major League" is far left. "Just a bit outside, he tried the corner and missed."