One of the big concerns right now is the slump Byron Buxton is in. He may be, ugh, hurt, in which case they should just put him on the Injured List and call up Royce Lewis again.
After finishing up with K. C., they travel to Detroit to begin a five-Game series (one of those is a make-up of a postponement, obvi) with the Tigers beginning on Memorial Day. On Friday they cross the border for a trio with Toronto.
#-2: United FC (Last Week: -5). I think I can -- or at least I will try to -- unify a mindset behind the Loons' screening Week, where they followed up Sunday's 2-1 road victory over FC Dallas with a 2-1 Loss at Allianz to Union Omaha Wednesday in the U. S. Open Cup. My theory? Adrian Heath didn't give too much of a shit about the U. S. Open Cup.
That's understandable. I didn't go to either Open Cup Match MNUFC hosted, either the Win over Colorado the previous round or this one. Granted, I was mostly swayed to stay away because of the threat of weather. Wednesday's forecast looked to be rainy, then spotty, and then it seemed as though the rain would stop by the time the Match began, but I decided that, similar to Saturday, I would get too cold after being outside long enough. And, it turns out, I did the right thing because my team lost.
Heath did not play Robin Lod nor Bebelo Reynoso against Omaha. That shows you he didn't care that much about winning this contest. But ... shit, man, couldn't he subbed them on late in the Match, or even after they coughed up both UO Goals ten Minutes apart in the Second Half? Union Omaha is a third-division club; I would think even ten Minutes from Reynoso or Lod could've tied or even won the tilt for United FC. Not even?
(By the way, I need to confess this, if I haven't before on WAF: If the Loons won this, I wouldn't have counted it in the survey. But since they lost, I have to hold it against them. It isn't balanced, but ... Jesus fucking Christ, you can't beat some amateur soccer team from goddamn Omaha?!?!?!)
OK, eyes on the prize, I guess. The Win over a very good Dallas outfit ended a winless streak at four, and put the Loons at a tie with Houston for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. (They technically are in eighth based on Goal Difference.) Reynoso and Lod played in this one, and like he has done many times, Lod scored, this time off a rebound from a Free Kick from Emanuel.
They host defending MLS champs New York City FC tonight/Saturday night. As of press time they're second in the Eastern Conference. Moreover, this is MNUFC's last home Game that counts until Independence Eve. They host a Friendly against 2. Bundesliga (that's the German second-division) side Paderborn on the 11th, but they don't play an MLS Match for the entire Month of June.
#-3: Lynx (Last Week: -4). Got drubbed in Dallas Saturday by 16, then nipped New York at Target Tuesday by six. Still they're in a place they haven't been in in more than a decade: Last (in the Western Conference). The cavalry probably isn't coming. The closest thing to a miracle is Napheesa Collier, and by the way, congratulations to her and husband Alex for the birth of their daughter, Mila Sarah Bazzell! Collier says that she's coming back to the Lynx before the season's over. I wouldn't mind if she takes the whole Year off -- I doubt the Jynx will turn into a juggernaut as soon as she steps on the court -- but I think her teammates wouldn't her coming back as soon as possible so they can improve on their 2-6 record.
Tomorrow/Sunday night they are at home versus Los Angeles. They then play at Atlanta Wednesday.
#-Infinity (tie): Gopher softball and Gopher baseball (Last Week, respectively: -2 and -3). Both diamond sports at the U. ended this past screening Week, thus ending the Golden Gopher athletic department's 2021-2 season. Both programs have some thinking to do about their respective direction, although one definitely has a lot more thinking to do than the other.
So the softball team at least was able to crush HBCU Prairie View A&M Saturday afternoon, 13-1 in five Innings, to remain alive in the Norman Regional of the NCAA Tournament. That evening they were leading the school that gave the Gophers its first loss in the double-elimination format, Texas A&M, 6-2 after five Innings, but the Aggies erupted for six Runs in the top of the Sixth to eliminate the U., 10-7.
Like I said in a previous WMNSS, I was shocked as hell that Minnesota landed a spot in the NCAAs. I think the late blown lead that ended their season is indicative of the fact that this squad, as of right now, does not have that lockdown ace Pitcher. This Year the team was led by two hurlers, Autumn Pease and Emily Leavitt. Both ended the Year with ERAs above 4. Leavitt was the one who got shook down for those six runs by A&M in the Sixth, plus another two in the Seventh. Meanwhile, Pease ended up with a record of 11-14. Moreover, the best player on the club, Natalie DenHartog (One Of Us; she's from Hopkins) graduates this Year. Who replaces her in the lineup? It could be Chloe Evans, a Sophomore Utility from Seymour, Wisc., but no one came close to DenHartog's production, this season and all her seasons. What I'm saying is that I don't think Minnesota is reloading. And if the Gophers got lucky in making the tourney this Year, they're certainly not guaranteed of a similar fluke next Year.
With all that said, there was one saving grace in the U. getting bumped off by the Aggies. That next day, Texas A&M had a rematch with Oklahoma, who were the Regional host, are the #1 overall Seed in the tournament, and gave A&M its first Loss. The Sooners beat the ever-lovin' shit outta them, 20-0. And yes, the Game was called after five Innings. At least the Gophers didn't have to face that, yikes.
And looking at the big picture, the softballers are in a much better position than the baseball team. I was at the season finale last Saturday against Northwestern. (This was where I got cold because I guessed wrong on the weather.) The U. was cruising through seven, 5-0. The Wildcats scored two in the two of the Eighth, but I was so confident that the Golden Gophers were going to end this otherwise disappointing season on a good note that I completed the line on the final Northwestern Pitcher, Jack Sauser. This Game isn't going to the bottom of the Ninth. Right?
Well, fuck all this bullshit, 'cause Northwestern plated six in the top of the Ninth to take the lead. Blame, if you wish (and you can) Tom Skoro, who, even after that embarrassment, finished with the third-best ERA on the ballclub at 4.50, and Sauser was able to close out the Goofs for his second Win of the Year. (There was also one awful goddamn Error that could have prevented a few 'Cats Runs.)
So the U. finishes the season 6-18 in Big Ten play and 16-36 overall. They finished dead last in the B1G for the second consecutive Year, and I don't know if John Anderson has ever done that in his 40 seasons leading the Maroon & Gold. Not only is this team in trouble, the program -- if people want to get real -- is in trouble, too. There has to be tangible turnaround next Year or ... well, Anderson might be safe for as long as he wants to remain as Manager. Which might be the problem. See, the entire conference is getting ten-figure checks because of the Big Ten Network. I have to assume -- have to -- that some of that largesse is trickling down past the revenue-generating sports to baseball. I think other schools in the league are upgrading their baseball facilities and staff. The U. should be able to do the same. That would mean that, because of their on-field underachieving, Minnesota is a sleeping giant.
So when the fuck is that program gonna wake up?
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