MLB’s quest for cash streams puts bettors in pickle
The Yankees’ second game of the season, Friday in Houston, will be seen exclusively on payeven-more Apple TV+ streaming, as many Friday night Yankee games again have been sold at auction to pay-walled networks.
Quite a dilemma. How do Rob Manfred and team owners expect fans to bet on games they can’t watch or won’t pay even more to watch?
➤ Given the Yanks’ 21st century predilection for signing sensationally overpriced players who exhibit minimal desire to win games, let alone run to first base, this week’s acquisition of multiplebases infielder Jon Berti from the Marlins is a radical departure.
As an Old School advocate, I’ve long enjoyed watching Berti as a maximalist. At 34, he remains fast and eager to do whatever it takes, in the field, at bat and running the bases, to win. Imagine that?
Does he make mistakes? Sure. But they’re the kind made trying to do too much rather than too little. If Berti stays healthy — another Yanks’ seasonal “if ” — Yankee fans are going to love him.
➤ UConn’s Geno Auriemma, aka Coach Cruel, Saturday led Jackson State by 28 with 4:30 left in a home-court NCAA Tournament game. Yet, four of his starters played at least 33 minutes and one played 39. He allowed one, a recruit from Portugal, two whole minutes in a longover tournament game.
Naturally, the Genogushing ABC/ESPN commentators, Pam Ward and Christie WinterScott, missed that.
➤ Reader Joe McGrath, lifelong Rangers fan and father of an NYPD officer, was distressed Tuesday, as the Garden, before the game vs. the Flyers, didn’t call for a moment of silence in salute to Officer Jonathan Diller, shot dead in the line of duty the day before. The Garden generally responds to NYPD and NYFD sacrifices.
➤ Whew, we needed that: Heavyweight Wyatt Hendrickson, captain of the Air Force Academy’s wrestling team, finished third in the NCAA wrestling championships, Saturday on ESPN. But to listen to his interview afterwards, you’d have thought that we all finished first. He was gracious and grateful, stating, “It’s an honor to represent the sport and the Academy,” and that he holds his opponents in great regard. No Nike deal for him!