* For what it’s worth, there are already published odds–by sportsbook.ag–on next season’s Stanley Cup winner, and the winner is: the Tampa Bay Lightning at 6-1. Next is Las Vegas at 7-1. Current Stanley Cup champion St. Louis is listed sixth at 14-1. Last is Ottawa at 300-1. The only down side: It doesn’t matter, as we well know.
* Imagine if the Rays had a home record to match their away record. The latter, outside of Yankee Stadium, is outstanding, the best in baseball; the former is barely above .500. It’s typically the reverse for winning teams. Could it be that home Trop attendance–and the accompanying optics, ambience and media franchise-speculation–also impact results on the field? Players are well paid and focused, but they notice empty seats.
* It was big news the other day when a Babe Ruth jersey sold at auction for $5.64 million. Even more gobsmacking, frankly, was the reminder that Ruth not only hit more than 700 home runs in a non-steroid age, but he also had a lifetime batting average of .342. And, oh yeah, he was also 94-46 as a pitcher–with an ERA of 2.28.