GROUP TRIPS
These trips have been scheduled, but postponements and cancelations are very possible due to the coronavirus pandemic. Please contact the trip organizer for more information.
DAY TRIPPIN’
“Queen Esther,” Sight & Sound Theater, July 27. $110. Sears Retirees, Richard, 610-434-7750.
“Queen Esther,” Sight & Sound Theater, Oct. 26. $113. St. Francis of Assisi Church, Stephanie, 610-433-6102.
“Queen Esther,” Sight & Sound, April 28. $115. Philadelphia Shrines Pilgrimage, Basilica of Ss. Peter & Paul, Shrine of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, and Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Ukrainian Church, May 1. $85. Sue, 610-392-2957. Proceeds benefit St. Joseph the Worker Church.
Yankees Games: A’s, June 19. $125. Mets, July 3. $125. Red Sox, July 17. $125. Phillies, July 21. $125. Twins, Aug. 21. $100. Indians, Sept. 16. $100. All trips include tailgate party. Lehigh Valley Yankee Fan Club, Chuck, 484-347-8331.
American Music Theatre, holiday show and Shady Maples, Dec. 11. $100. Lehigh Valley Yankee Fan Club, Chuck, 484347-8331.
OVERNIGHT TRIPS
In the Footsteps of Jesus, a Holy Land Pilgrimage, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Nazareth, air, some meals, sightseeing and more. Oct. 11-20. $3,595. St. Ann Parish, 610-965-2426.
Virginia International Tattoo Festival, June 3-5. $559. Thousand
Islands and Canada, June 21-24. $625. Mystery Trip, Aug. 11-15. $750. Branson, Nov. 5-13. $1,159. Lower Macungie Seniors, Doris, 610-966-3653.
Rocking Horse Ranch, May 10-14. $675. Ride the Rails,
W. Virginia, July 13-15. $445. Mystery Trip, Sept. 21-23. $445. Cape Cod, Oct. 11-16. $689. Lower Lehigh AARP, Doris, 610966-3653.
New York State, Hudson River cruise, lunch at Culinary Institute of America, West Point Military Academy, wine tasting, May 26-28. $555. Parade of Nations, Virginia International Tattoo, Spirit of Norfolk Dinner Cruise, Naval base tour, more, June 3-6. $559. Maine, tours of Portland and Kennebunkport, Oct.
11-15. $559. Sue, 610-392-2957. Proceeds benefit St. Joseph the Worker Church.
Oberammergau and Danube River Cruise, Passion Play included, June 5-14, 2022. Prices from $6,499. Switzerland, Austria & Bavaria tour, Oct. 21-30. $3,799. Assumption Travel
Club, John, 610-767-3036.
Highlights of Norway, Oslo, Fram Museum, Flam Railway, Sognefjord, Briksdal Glacier, Geirangerfjord Cruise, Bergen. Flight included. Aug. 6-14. $4,399. Magnolia Trail & Heart of Texas, Oct. 16-20, 2021. $1,999. Includes Dallas city tour, AT &T Stadium, JFK sites, George W. Bush Presidential Library, Southfork Ewing Ranch, Waco city tour, HGTV series “Fixer Upper” sites, Magnolia Market, Dr. Pepper Museum, transportation to and from Philadelphia and air. Greenbrier at Christmas, West Virginia, two nights at this five star hotel, shops, hotel tour, afternoon tea, two breakfasts, two 2 dinners. Nov. 30 - Dec. 2. $770. Lehigh County School Retirees, Joanne, 610-398-0981.
Sponsored Trips are for nonprofit organizations. Send information two weeks in advance: event, date, cost, phone number. Fax: 610-820-6693; email: news@ mcall.com; mail: Trips, The Morning Call, Box 1260, Allentown, 18105-1260.
Andrew McCutchen was spending most of his time a year ago rehabbing on the backfields of the Phillies’ spring-training complex in Clearwater, Fla., working to be ready for the season just 10 months after tearing the ACL in his left knee.
“It was checking off as many boxes that needed to check off,” McCutchen said. “Even if I wasn’t 100%, it was good enough.”
The three-month delay to the season due to the coronavirus pandemic provided McCutchen more time to get ready, but he still faced live pitching for just three weeks before opening day. He was ready, but it still seemed like a quick return after a devastating injury. He hit just .253 with a .757 OPS in 241 plate appearances.
A year later, McCutchen is enjoying a typical spring training. There’s no more rehab or boxes to check. April 1 is now just opening day, not a deadline to meet. Perhaps a routine six-week camp in Florida could be beneficial once the season begins.
“It’s a lot better to come in and have somewhat of a normal spring,” McCutchen said. “Get the work in that I need to get in and get myself prepared for the season, not think about rehabbing or anything. It’s just getting myself ready as I always have. That’s a big plus.”
The Phillies were able to give McCutchen a rest last season but
keep his bat in the lineup by using him as the designated hitter. That won’t be possible this season as National League pitchers will hit again in 2021. McCutchen started 60% of last season’s 60 games in left field, but the Phillies are hoping to give him a bigger workload this season.
They’ll still be able to find him days off, but it won’t be as easy as it was when the DH was an option. But the Phillies also have the luxury of knowing he’s entering the season without the stress of completing a rehab process.
“I prepare to play for a full season, not having any days off. That’s my mentality and that never changes, even last season in the 60 games,” McCutchen said. “The mentality is to play
a full season. I can’t speak for everyone. I can’t speak for management or who makes those calls. If they see something and they’re like, ‘Oh, we want to give you a day,’ all I can do is say, ‘I want to play.’
“There’s only one way you can keep playing and that’s how you do on the field, how you look out there, how you’re performing. And if you’re doing well, you’re going to stay out there. The mentality is to play a full season. I feel a lot better than I did at this time last season.”
Howard, Anderson are impressive
Spencer Howard and Chase Anderson split the first four innings of a 6-4 win over the Detroit Tigers in Clearwater as Joe Girardi continues to monitor the competition for the final two spots in the five-man starting
rotation.
Howard allowed a two-run homer in the first inning before retiring the next six batters he faced, striking out four. His changeup was excellent and his velocity is up after he was slowed last summer by shoulder discomfort. Howard said this is the best he’s felt in a long time.
Anderson pitched two scoreless innings, allowed one hit, and walked two with one strikeout. Anderson and Matt Moore continue to be the favorites to fill those last two spots to enter the season.
“I think it’s important to do it as quick as we can, but we’re not going to rush to any decisions,” Girardi said about selecting the starters. “I think they’ve had two-inning outings, really for the most part, and that’s it. It’s a little bit difficult to judge on that. Whenever we think it’s the right time, we’re going to do it.”
The Sabres will be without captain Jack Eichel for what coach Ralph Krueger called “the foreseeable future” in delivering yet another blow to a team in the midst of a ninegame skid.
The injury is not considered season-ending, though Krueger on Saturday was unable to provide a fixed timetable on how long Eichel will be out.
“An injury of this nature needs more assessment and more time to understand it,” he said. “We just know that it will be some time here from shorter all the way to what you’ve already mentioned (season-ending), but it’s somewhere in between that.”
The update came after Eichel traveled to see a specialist over the past two days to further determine the severity of the injury.
Boxing: Marvin Hagler, the middleweight boxing great whose title reign and career ended with a split-decision loss to “Sugar” Ray Leonard in 1987, died Saturday. He was 66. Wife Kay G. Hagler confirmed the death on Facebook on the verified Marvelous Marvin Hagler Fan Club page.
Soccer: Manchester City only needs to win five of its remaining eight games to secure the Premier League trophy. A 3-0 victory over Fulham on Saturday moved Pep Guardiola’s side 17 points ahead of second-place Manchester United, but having played two games more. Everton was previously in the title mix but a 2-1 home loss to Burnley was the latest setback in its attempt to make the top four.