Baseball, in many cases, can serve as a very effective microcosm for the world and the country it inhabits. From social progression, justice, or the dawn of the information age, baseball has often travelled right along with the world surrounding it. Looking back, that means we can find stories that are nearly impossible to imagine in the modern world, a description the would fit that of Johnny Sturm quite well.
Born in 1916, Sturm played a mostly full season in his rookie campaign with the Yankees, and would never again play on a major league field after. It was due to circumstances mostly out of his control, in an unfortunate story, as Sturm’s Yankee tenure would last just a single year. His performance on its own was unimpressive, but Sturm stands as in interesting landmark for a time that feels long gone.
Johnny Sturm Born: January 23, 1916 (St. Louis, MO) Died: October 8, 2004 (St. Louis, MO) Yankees Tenure: 1941
Johnny Sturm grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and began his professional career in the minor leagues in 1936. After five seasons at various levels in the Yankees’ organization, Sturm would finally get his chance with the big club in 1941. In the post-Lou Gehrig era, the team had struggled to fill the impossibly large void. Babe Dahlgren, who replaced Gehrig, was sent to Boston after the 1940 season, which prompted another change at the position. The Yankees first moved Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Gordon over to first, though it was a move that proved ineffective.
The Yankees eventually moved Gordon back to second, opening a spot for Sturm at first base. The club had struggled out of the gate, and likely hoped the move would help them take a step forward. Incidentally, the day the Yankees slid Sturm into the lineup was also the day Joe DiMaggio began his record-setting hitting streak.
On the whole, Sturm’s performance at the plate during the ‘41 season left plenty to be desired. The Yankee first baseman slashed .239/.293/.300 for just a 58 OPS+ in his rookie season. But, the season didn’t come without its bright spots. In June of ‘41, Sturm belted a two-run homer in the second game of a double-header, which kickstarted a run of 40 home runs in 25 games for the Bombers as a squad.
He also played a role in the World Series that year. Sturm went 6-for-21 in the five games, pitching in with a pair of RBI in the victorious Fall Classic effort for New York. It wasn’t the flashiest of campaigns, but doing his part for a winning World Series squad is certainly something on its own.
The offseason that followed was an eventful one for Sturm. He was married shortly after the successful World Series, and not long after, with the United States then fully entrenched in World War II, Sturm enlisted in the military. He was stationed at a base in Missouri and, fittingly, assumed the duty of building baseball fields and managing the post’s baseball team.
Sturm was obviously away from the team on Opening Day the following year, when his career took a turn for the worse. While operating a tractor, he made an ill-fated move which ultimately caused the amputation of the tip of his index finger on his right arm.
Post-recovery, Sturm served until November of 1945, stationed overseas for the latter part of his service. He attempted to make a return to professional baseball in 1946, with plenty of factors working against him. Having missed four seasons of play, and now playing with a significantly altered right hand, it was an uphill battle for Sturm.
Now 30 years old, Sturm had trouble reacclimating, and was unable to reclaim his former spot, and was forced to toil in the minor leagues. He remained in the Yankees organization through the 1949 season, eventually as a player-manager for the Joplin Miners (and actually putting up some solid numbers).
That would be the end of professional baseball for Sturm, however, as the missed time and injury trouble were too much to overcome for the first baseman. It was a stint with the Yankees cut too short by unfortunate circumstances, and it creates an interesting looking resume, as he was the last of just six players in MLB history to have 500-plus plate appearances in their lone season. A career like Sturm’s feels like something that only could have happened in the past, and serves as an interesting piece of baseball history.
Despite his turbulent experience in professional baseball, Sturm lived to be 88 years old. Born on this day in 1916, his story is one of a kind in Yankees history.
David Stearns, who spoke to the media about the trade yesterday, didn’t want to speculate on a potential extension with Peralta, for whom he’s traded twice in his front office career.
Here’s how the Mets’ trade for Freddy Peralta—alongside the Yankees’ signing of Cody Bellinger—affects the market for the remainder of the offseason.
Neither the Mets nor the Yankees think they could meet the high asking price for Tigers ace Tarik Skubal in a trade.
Will Leitch looks at teams that missed the postseason in 2025 but might make it in 2026, and you likely won’t be surprised to hear that the Mets are included.
The Twins signed left-handed reliever Taylor Rogers—not to be confused with his twin brother Tyler, who finished last season with the Mets—to a one-year, $2 million deal.
Our countdown of the Mets’ top prospects continued with number ten: Jack Wenninger.
This Date in Mets History
Legendary Mets broadcast Ralph Kiner finally got his place in Cooperstown when he was elected to the Hall of Fame for his fantastic career as a player on this date in 1975.
With the news earlier this week that (briefly) former San Francisco Giants outfielder Carlos Beltrán will be inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame this year, there was unfortunately bad news for another former Giants outfielder.
Hunter Pence, the very definition of a Forever Giant, did not receive enough votes to keep his campaign alive. Players have to receive five percent of the votes to stay on the ballot, and Pence received only two total votes.
While this is a bummer to hear, it isn’t necessarily a surprise.
Pence was (and remains) a beloved Giants player who had a huge hand in helping the team secure two of their three World Series championships in the 2010s. But his career numbers weren’t quite the caliber they’d need to be to be successful in this endeavor.
That’s not a knock to Pence, or any player that doesn’t get the votes. It’s an arduous process filled with arbitrary preferences by those with the power to cast a vote. Maybe one player per year gets in, two if we’re lucky. And there seems to be no rhyme or reason to most of it.
So while I’m bummed, I still think we have plenty to celebrate Pence for.
Earlier, I described the various technologies that I’ve found are being used in baseball in general, and mostly, by the Cardinals. As I followed the trail of breadcrumbs around, I began to discover that it wasn’t so much the technology the Cardinals had fallen behind in (yes, there was and still are some deficits there), but what really had shown up was that the Cardinals lacked the people behind the curtain, and in the few places they had the people, there wasn’t a lot of cohesion and coordination. Not out of any sinister bureaucratic plot, but likely people spread too thin to be engaged in and knowledgeable about all the various moving parts of an organization.
The People Behind the Curtain
As with all tech, there needs to be people to set up the tech, make it work, integrate it with other tech and so on. It can be one whole job to know about and take care of the Force Plates technology and gather some data with it. It can be a whole ‘nuther job (and a separate specialty) to know about and take care of the Kinatrax system. Both produce mounds of data.
But how does one interpret and synthesize the data and make it actionable? I might know about Force Plate technology, but now I need to know something about…pitching. And what makes the act of pitching efficient (or inefficient)?
Then a third someone needs to bring the two tech domains together and understand how the Ground Force reading from the Force Plates can be seen affecting the kinetic chain reactions observed in the Kinatrax system. And with that, someone needs to understand anatomy and physiology of the human body. On top, someone needs to figure out what the readings mean and how they might need to be different.
Then you need another specialty in physical therapy or physical training to work with players to develop isolated exercises that get muscles trained to operate differently than the current habit (no easy feat!). It turns out, you can’t just tell a pitcher they need to lengthen their stride ¼” and rotate their hips .2 seconds earlier to get things more efficiently synced up.
Enter, Carl Kochan, Director of Performance, St. Louis Baseball Cardinals, LLC.
Anyone have any idea of who this is? I did not. He replaced Robert Butler, the prior Director just over a year ago. From what I can tell, his charter is to reach across various stovepipes in the organization to develop a working performance model for players that addresses travel and fatigue management and in-game demands (high demand for pitchers/catchers and very bursty demand for other players). In a 3-hour game, a position player might actually exert an acute work load for 5-10 minutes. Pitchers and catchers? The opposite.
His charter seems to focus on the minor league side, and includes tech people, nutrition specialists, medical coordinators, physical therapists, rehab specialists and trainers. He certainly has to reach wider than that if the coaches and development side of the organization is going to be in sync with the performance side.
In the Performance Department underneath Mr. Kochan, there are 3 strength and conditioning folks plus a coordinator, 2 rehab folks plus 3 medical coordinators (one of these in the DSL), 4 MiLB trainers, a nutritionist and 4 performance science experts. Total of nineteen folks. Just in the Performance Department. Want to guess how many of these positions existed in 2020? If you have a guess of two, you are spot on.
Here is a current opening in this organization (via Indeed.com):
Are you passionate about biomechanics and baseball? The St. Louis Cardinals are looking for a Biomechanist to join their Performance Department and support player development through advanced motion analysis and player tracking technologies. This is your opportunity to play a key role in integrating science with on-field performance! (location: Jupiter FLA) Key Responsibilities: • Lead motion capture assessments and equipment setup • Analyze biomechanics and in-game tracking data • Create actionable reports for individualized player plans • Collaborate across performance and player development teams • Support research initiatives and sport science equipment management Basic Qualifications: • Bachelor’s in biomechanics, engineering, or exercise science • Experience with kinematic/kinetic data capture and analysis
Indeed.com
Did you see the part in the job opening about collaborating with the player development team? Let’s look there. They currently have 29 staff members, led by Larry Day. This includes pitching, hitting and field coordinators, various minor league hitting and pitching coordinators and assistant coaches. How many did they have in these roles in 2020? None. As recently as 2024, they had sixteen. Just about doubled in size in the last 18 months. As near as I can tell, all but one of the original 16 are gone, except one. Jose Oquendo. As near as I can tell, this is where the complete tear-down and rebuild occurred.
The ocean of data
As you might suspect, all these technologies produce mountains of data. This creates challenges consistent with what other industries are encountering … managing “big data”. An organization can be awash with data but be unaware of what the most useful bits and pieces are.
There is a lot of scientific rigor in a group like this, which probably creates some interesting culture rubs with old-school baseball guys and the players themselves. Paul DeJong probably would be an exception here.
These guys are looking at challenges like where do they not have information they should? How can the data they collect contribute to improved strength and conditioning. Arm care appears to be a major focus of these efforts, pre-game, in-game AND post-game.
Another challenge is integrating this stuff across the levels of the organization and a need to improve consistency with player feedback. It probably doesn’t help if a player hears one thing at Driveline and another thing in the pitching lab at Jupiter.
Another challenge, right now they have no centralized repository for biomech data. It is hard to get a common understanding if the different professions and aptitudes can’t even access the data.
Playing from behind, catching up and getting ahead
With all this data capture, there is greater visibility in more intricate detail, but not necessarily more knowledge in how to react to the inputs they are getting. For instance, they might get a shoulder measurement from force plates that tells the reaction force of pitchers arm at full extension. So what? Is there benefit in custom tailoring a workout regime to increase that force? What does it mean if that force measures at 5% lower the data after a start from the day before? Does that indicate fatigue or low-level injury? Normal or aberrant?
What seems to come through all the noise is that this data is used to two different ends: 1) to help keep the players healthy and 2) to help them identify ways to optimize their performance.
A Case Study: Mathew Liberatore
I suppose most people remember that mid-season (early June, actually) start Liberatore had where his velocity cratered and he got hit hard by a not typically hard-hitting Kansas City lineup? The decline was so abrupt many worried he was hurt. They put him through a battery of physical tests, checking for injury and came up empty. Then they looked at the bio-mechanics data (ie. the advanced video) from the start and came up with some issues in how his mechanics were “out of sync” (his words) and the expectation that this was caused more by overall “fatigue issues” (again, his words).
In this new modern world, they use this data to develop specific conditioning programs to reduce these issues (and they take time to implement). Simply put, you no longer are left with observations like “he is opening up too soon and the arm is dragging through”. Now they can see if that is occurring because of his stride, his hip rotation, the torso rotation, shoulder, arm angle, whatever. Unconfirmed, but I’d bet Libby has spent this off-season working to improve strength and stamina and getting the kinetic chain to sync and stay synced during acute workloads exceeding an hour.
The last challenge – working across the stovepipes
Almost all organization hierarchies have stove pipes and they can create cultural boundaries that can be difficult to cross. When the Cardinals hired multiple new people (Pierpoint, Day, Cerfolio, Kochan) in the 2024-2025 off-season, the common theme among them was their mission was to get the different parts of the organization to work together better.
It’s not hard to imagine some old school coach in some far-off minor league town not quite embracing or trusting a new PT regime a player has adopted coming out of the hitting or pitching lab. The players themselves don’t always embrace. I think it was Joshua Baez who said something along the lines of having gotten information overload and needing to simplify things to make the gains he has made.
There has always been a natural rivalry between scouting and development. Now you add in all the tech and performance guys and complexity expands. Plus, the geographic distances. Palm Beach, Peoria, Springfield, Memphis and St. Louis can all be hard to keep in sync, particularly when the technology and the knowledge of how to apply is uneven across those boundaries.
The last stovepipe I observe is cultural and linguistic. This stuff is hard enough for all the English speakers. I’m sure many people see this stuff as Greek to them. A good segment of the Cardinal prospects speak English as a second language, or not at all. They clearly did not have enough Spanish speakers in camp this past spring, and the few they had were very busy running from field to field trying to translate coaching instructions. I wonder how many ESL types were inside the labs doing the same.
Summary
The technology evolution that is sweeping baseball swamped St. Louis and they are just getting their organizational stuff together in this area. Lots of change. Likely lots more will change.
Capturing all this has been daunting and I am aware that I’m just scratching the surface. Meanwhile, the environment I observe changes as I observe. My learning goal in this arena is to see if I can get a tour of this stuff when I’m Jupiter next month. Wish me luck.
Happy Friday everyone, lots of fun little tidbits for you in our news of the day. We’ve got some more thoughts and discussion about the Hall of Fame inductees, including some bold sentiments from Carlos Beltran about why he doesn’t want to be defined by the Astros cheating scandal. Plus, two big starting pitcher trades see moves being made for the Rangers and Mets (of course, what aren’t the Mets doing these days?)
On the topic of starting pitchers, there’s also some Hall of Fame debate about whether or not they’re being snubbed by Cooperstown.
Carlos Beltrán is the first player drafted out of Puerto Rico to be elected to the Hall of Fame — the first five Puerto Rican Hall of Famers were all signed as free agents before Puerto Rico was incorporated into MLB's amateur draft in 1989.
After the mostly-promising but late-season collapse of 20222024 1984, the Minnesota Twins sagged to 77-85 in 1985. Things got worse in ‘86: 71-91, 6th in the AL West—21 GB the West-winning California Angels. The average draw of 15,000 per Metrodome contest—2nd-worst in AL attendance coffers—presented a lot of bad baseball for Bob Kurtz & Harmon Killebrew (on TV) and Herb Carneal & Joe Angel (on the dial) to cover, but also some signs that pieces were falling into place for a promising future.
Pitching (90 ERA+)
With the exception of ever-stalwart Bert Blyleven (17-14, 271.2 IP, 107 ERA+)—who even still gave up an MLB-record 50 home runs—and up-and-coming Frank Viola (16-13, 245.2 IP, 95 ERA+), pitching was this club’s Achilles heel.
Mike Smithson, Neal Heaton, & Mark Portugal were far worse than Rik Aalbert & Frankie out of the starting rotation. The pen at least had solid seasons from Keith Atherton (114 ERA+) & Roy Lee Jackson (111 ERA+)—but for some unknown reason still gave Ron Davis 38.2 IP, which of course netted a 47 ERA+. John Butcher (70 IP, 68 ERA+) wasn’t much more effective.
Offense (103 OPS+)
The quintet of Kirby Puckett, Kent Hrbek, Gary Gaetti, Tom Brunansky, & Roy Smalley all eclipsed 20 dingers, cultivating the Homer Dome reputation.
Especially stand-out were Puck (5.7 WAR, 223 H, 119 R, 37 2B, 31 HR, 96 RBI, 20 SB, .328 BA, 142 OPS+, Gold Glove) & the G-Man (5.8 WAR, 34 2B, 34 HR, 108 RBI, .287 BA, 131 OPS+, Gold Glove).
The most memorable moments from ‘86…
May 30: Smalley homers from both sides of the plate
Puck representing MN at the All-Star game in the Astrodome
August 1: Kirby hits for the cycle AND Blyleven records his 3,000th strikeout!
None of this was good enough to keep the Twins in contention—especially with a dispiriting 11 walk-off losses thrown into the mix. So in compiling a 59-80 record by September 12, manager Ray Miller was relieved of his duties after 1.93 seasons of top-step service. This led to the hiring of 36-year old skipper Tom Kelly—who presided over a 12-11 ‘86 denouement.
Of final note: The ‘86 Twins were horrific on the road—28-53. But at the Metrodome: 43-38.
The franchise was at a fulcrum: while seemingly set up with talent on the field, a new young manager, and an ability to dominate at home, two straight disappointing seasons after the promise of 1984 did not exactly inspire a ton of confidence for what 1987 would bring.
There’s a difficult path, as it pertains to acquiring an external one. Houston is just $1.2 million under the apron.
The NBA’s hard cap is real.
We know this.
We’ve seen Rockets coach Ime Udoka deploy a hodgepodge of methods toward replacing Fred VanVleet.
Or attempting to.
No option has been perfect. Amen Thompson running point takes him away from his best offensive skills, which is attacking, cutting to the rim and slashing.
Instead, it leaves him at the top of the key, oftentimes standing around and/or taking low-percentage threes.
Kevin Durant has been relied on to handle some of the playmaking and offensive initiation, but he’s rather turnover prone. Especially when blitzed or trapped.
Reed Sheppard is a good option, save for the fact that he gets hunted defensively. He’s thrived in an off-ball role.
JD Davison is a decent fall back, but you don’t necessarily want to be relying on a two-way signee for offensive playmaking and creation.
Especially not the bulk of it. And he’s the best pick-and-roll point guard on the roster.
“Jose Alvarado.. The Houston Rockets—they have kind of did some background on Alvarado.”
Alvarado is a defensive pest. He’s also the type of player who you hate when he’s not on your team but absolutely love to have on your team.
He’s a hell of a spark off the bench and is infectious.
In 22 minutes of action, he averages 7.9 points, 3.3 assists, 2.8 rebounds one steal, 42.4 percent from the field, 36.1 percent from three (4.4 attempts) and 82.6 percent from the foul line.
He has a player option next season worth $4.5 million and has a $4.5 million number this season also, making him a realistic target, should they decide to look into making a move.
There will be competition for his services, however, as Haynes also reported the New York Knicks are interested in Alvarado’s services as well.
The Sydney Sixers have progressed through to an incredible eighth Big Bash grand final in 15 years on Friday night, courtesy of a dominant 57-run win over reigning champions Hobart.
Before the season began, everyone had a different opinion about how the Celtics would fare.
Some people naively thought they would plummet to the bottom of the East and tank for hometown kid AJ Dybantsa. Others thought they would hang around and perhaps make a surge if, and only if, Jayson Tatum returned. Most thought they would end up right around .500 or maybe a bit better (I was in that group).
Very few genuinely believed that, more than halfway through the season, they would be 11 games above .500 and second in the East. If you did, kudos to you, but I certainly didn’t.
So, how have they done it? Well, a lot goes into it, but from my perspective, here are ten reasons they’re still contenders.
1. Jaylen Brown has gone from outstanding to unstoppable.
I think we can all officially stop debating whether or not Jaylen Brown is capable of thriving as the No. 1 option on a contender. I thought Brown would embrace this role and excel in it, but I didn’t expect this level of pure domination.
Brown has upped his scoring (22.2 to 29.8), rebounding (5.8 to 6.7) and assists (4.5 to 4.8) per game from last year, while also improving his efficiency (46.3 to 48, 32.4 to 36.4, 76.4 to 79.1). He’s taking over games, leading by example and making life easier for everyone around him. His teammates have followed suit.
Jaylen Brown continues to get buckets at will as the @celtics win at home ☘️
When the season began, people fairly wondered if the Celtics could continue their 3-point shooting prowess without Tatum, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis.
The answer is a resounding yes. They still have Brown, Derrick White, Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser. Add in Anfernee Simons, Luka Garza and some young guys who are improving in that area, and that’s a whole lot of offensive firepower.
Boston is second in the NBA in 3-pointers made per game (15.6), second in 3’s attempted per game (42.4) and seventh in 3-point percentage (36.8). Last year’s percentage? 36.8. How’s that for consistency?
3. Returning catalysts have expanded their roles.
While Brown has elevated his game, White, Pritchard, Hauser and Neemias Queta have embraced more opportunity as well.
Some of White’s shooting numbers are down, but he’s averaging more points (16.4 to 17.6), rebounds (4.5 to 4.6) and assists (4.8 to 5.4) than last year and is still everywhere defensively. Pritchard is posting career-highs in minutes, points, assists and rebounds as well, and Hauser hasn’t missed a shot in 2026. Queta is handling a lot of responsibility on an undersized team and making it look easy.
I’m always amazed how seamlessly NBA players can adjust to greater responsibility, but the thing about this team is that those adjustments are leading to wins.
4. Young guys are ready when their number is called.
It can be hard to play some nights and sit on the bench others, but this group hasn’t flinched in that respect. Joe Mazzulla tends to mix and match based on the opponent, and the young players on the roster deserve credit for staying ready and pouncing when they get the chance.
Jordan Walsh is playing some of the best basketball of his career and is a menace defensively. Baylor Scheierman is starting to figure it out, holding his own defensively and displaying his unique ability as a playmaker. Hugo González has a chance to be special and is just scratching the surface.
Orlando, FL – April 25: Boston Celtics forward Baylor Scheierman, left, and guard Jordan Walsh participate in the team shoot-around before Game 3 of the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs against the Orlando Magic at the Kia Center. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
5. The new guys have fit in seamlessly.
Simons, Garza and Josh Minott have exceeded expectations and bought into the overall identity of the group. Simons is a starting-caliber player coming off the bench, Garza is often the glue for this team and Minott has been a pest and insane athlete when healthy.
6. They’ve made strides on the glass.
The Celtics are now 10th in the NBA in rebounds per game (45.1) and sixth in offensive rebounds per game (12.7). They were never going to be at the very top in that category, and that’s OK. As long as they’re holding own, and not letting teams bully them inside, they’ll be in most games. Teams like the Pistons and Rockets are tough matchups because of their size, but the Celtics are capable of finding creative ways to compensate.
Of all the things you didn't see coming…the Celtics are now 8th in the NBA in rebounding.
CELTICS REBOUNDING (NBA Rank)
First two months… Offensive: 7th Defensive: 30th Overall: 18th
Last month… Offensive: 5th Defensive: 2nd Overall: 3rd
Already-elite defenders like Brown, White and Queta have taken the next step. Players like Pritchard, Hauser, Simons and Garza, who are probably sick of constantly hearing about their defensive shortcomings, continue to prove people wrong. Guys like Walsh, Minott and González have provided contagious energy.
Defense was a way bigger question mark than offense, and so far, the Celtics have passed the test and then some. They’ve allowed the second-fewest points in the league (109.8), behind only the Thunder, which is extremely impressive.
8. They’ve leaned into playing at their own pace.
I expected this team to play a run-and-gun style of offense, but so far, it’s been just the opposite. The Celtics are dead last in the league in pace (96.43) and have had the third-fewest possessions (4,140) in the league. They’re dictating the action and making teams play their style. That’s generally an indicator that the ball is moving and they’re turning down good shots for great ones.
Miami, FL – May 21: Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra screams at a referee while Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla looks away. The Celtics lost to the Heat, 128-102, in Game 3 of the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals. (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
9. Joe Mazzulla is coaching at an extremely high level.
The players deserve the bulk of the credit for items 1 through 8, but Mazzulla and his staff deserve praise as well.
Mazzulla inherited one of the best situations in NBA history, but he’s proving day by day that his early success wasn’t just a product of his circumstances. He’s one of the best coaches in the NBA and has found a sustainable winning formula with this team.
10. They’re playing with joy and for one another.
Body language is important in sports. You can tell when players are sick of one another and aren’t bought in for the greater good. This team is clearly united and relentlessly pursuing a common goal. Of course, winning can lead to buy in, but without the buy in, wins can be hard to find.
This could be a season to remember, and oh yeah, that Tatum guy is making steady progress.
Minnesota Wild coach John Hynes said it’s not up to him whether Quinn Hughes will play with Brock Faber at the Olympics.
But if Team USA coach Mike Sullivan needed any convincing, all he has to do is look at the stats since Hughes arrived in a blockbuster trade to Minnesota last month. What started out as a one-game trial has turned into a six-week tour de force, with Hughes and Faber combining for seven goals and 41 points in 20 games.
Chemistry this instant is not easy to find. Which is why you have to imagine that the dynamic defensive duo, who seem so similar but bring different elements that complement each other’s game, will be paired together in Milan next month.
“Both of them are obviously high-end players,” said Hynes, who is an assistant coach for Team USA. “I would say they’re a little bit different in the way that they play. But they’re both excellent skaters, I think they can break the puck out well, they can transition the puck well, and obviously you see their skating ability, whether it’s off the rush or in the offensive zone, they’re mobile and they make very good decisions with the puck.
“From a defensive standpoint, they’re both committed guys. They’re not just one-way players — they play a strong, two-way game.”
Chances are the Olympics were not on Bill Guerin’s mind when the Wild GM acquired Hughes in a trade from the Vancouver Canucks on Dec. 18. But considering that Guerin is also the GM of the U.S. Olympic team, it certainly doesn’t hurt to have a defense pairing that looks like they’ve been playing together for years — not weeks.
After all, the Olympics are a short tournament with little lead-up time. The last NHL game is on Feb. 5. A week later, the U.S. starts the tournament against Latvia on Feb. 12.
Not that Hughes needs much time to feel comfortable, anyway. From the moment he arrived in Minnesota, Hughes has fit in seamlessly with the Wild, helping the team to a 11-5-3 record. In 20 games, he has two goals and 24 points. Faber has also benefitted, scoring five goals and 17 points, while adding about a minute more per game in ice time.
“The way he moves — from the time he got here, I think everyone was like, 'Whoa,' " said Faber said of Hughes. “You don’t realize how good he is until you see it and you play with it. He’s only going to get better the more comfortable he gets. Obviously, he’s been playing so good for us. He’s been a huge part of why we’re winning games. Just such a great addition.”
The U.S., which also has two pairs of brothers — Quinn and Jack Hughes, and Matthew and Brady Tkachuk — is not the only country that will be bringing along the familiarity of linemates.
Canada’s top pairing will likely feature Colorado’s Cale Makar and Devon Toews, who have been playing together in Colorado for years. Finland will also send defensemen Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell, as well as forwards Mikko Rantanen and Roope Hintz — all Stars players.
That is, if Sullivan decides to keep the experiment going and keep Hughes and Faber together.
"Look, obviously they feel comfortable with each other so we'll see where it goes," said Hynes.
With the standings being as tight as they are right now, each game is of pivotal importance, but especially those intra-divisional matchups like the Montreal Canadiens’ Thursday night match-up with the Buffalo Sabres. After being beaten by those same Sabres 5-3 a week ago, Martin St-Louis’ men had an opportunity to get a do-over against Lindy Ruff’s formation.
Even though it was Jakub Dobes who backstopped the Canadiens to their first win against the Minnesota Wild since 2019 on Tuesday night, the coach had elected to give the net to Samuel Montembeault for Thursday’s game. It was understandable since Dobes had given three goals on just 19 shots on Tuesday night. Still, Montembeault hadn’t looked great either in his only game since Jacob Fowler was sent back down to the Laval Rocket, surrendering five goals on 34 shots to the Ottawa Senators.
They say fake it ‘till you make it because if you believe in yourself, others will. As regretful as it is to write, the Canadiens do not seem to be confident when Montembeault is in the net. Once again, on Thursday night, the first shot he faced went in. Granted, it was on a two-on-one, but still, to win, you need a goaltender who will make the tough saves, the ones that make you think that your last line of defence can do the job. On that play, all three of the Canadiens’ forwards went deep in the Sabres’ zone, Lane Hutson applied pressure in their territory as well, and Jayden Struble didn’t play well on the odd-man rush, but if the goalie pulls off a spectacular save, we have a different game.
Then, the Sabres’ second goal was a shorthanded marker. Noah Dobson was outworked and overtaken on the wing, but Montembeault was passive and deep in his own net. Yes, Dobson should have been more of a nuisance for Beck Malenstyn, but nothing prevented Montembeault from making a poke check.
Buffalo took a 3-0 lead early in the second frame when Zach Benson hit both posts before scoring on his third shot. Of course, the defence shouldn’t let a team take three shots in close succession, but if Montembeault stops the first shot from hitting the post and makes the save, he doesn’t end up looking like a weathercock in his net, and the next two shots don’t happen right under Hutson and Struble’s noses.
Three goals on just nine shots, those are not numbers that inspire confidence. That being said, at least in the third period, Montembeault made a big save on Alex Tuch on a breakaway, which allowed the Canadiens to stay in the game and prevented the Sabres from getting a second shorthanded goal in the same game.
Making Adjustments
After the Habs fell behind 3-0, they woke up. On an offensive zone faceoff, Kirby Dach dished out a great hit along the boards, which allowed Mike Matheson to get the puck back. He then left it for Suzuki, who fed Cole Caufield in the high slot. The sniper one-timed it in, bringing the Canadiens back within two.
Less than 10 minutes later, St-Louis elected to send Zach Bolduc out on an offensive faceoff with Suzuki and Caufield. While the Habs lost the draw, it was Bolduc who then intercepted a pass and got himself alone in front of the goalie, who couldn’t freeze the puck on his shot, allowing Suzuki to take the rebound and score to make it 3-2 Buffalo. The coach’s decision to send the Trois-Rivieres native out for the draw was an inspired one. After the game, he explained that he felt Bolduc had played well and wanted to manage Dach's minutes since he had just returned from injury.
On the other bench, though, it took about two seconds for Ruff, who had just seen his team give up two goals in less than 10 minutes after forging itself a three-goal lead, call for a timeout and give his men a stern talking to. Buffalo only allowed two more shots in the rest of the period, and it stopped the Canadiens from building up their momentum right away. That’s one way to prevent a hemorrhage and an example the Habs’ coach could follow. Oftentimes, he seems reluctant to use his timeout.
A Recurring Issue
If the Canadiens have got the message about shooting more, they finished the game with 34 shots on goal, but they still struggle to play a full 60 minutes and start playing the right way straight from the puck drop. Two of the goals they gave were within three minutes of the start of a period, and their power play has been atrocious for the last two games.
The man-advantage doesn’t mean you don’t have to play as well or be as patient. It’s incredible to see how impatient the top unit can be when it’s time to enter the zone on the man-advantage, while they can be as patient as a young parent who never says no to their spoiled toddler when they are set up in the offensive zone, passing the puck.
In the game against the Wild, Caufield tried to beat three guys on his own to enter the zone on the power play, when by definition, a power play means you’ll have at least one man open on the ice. Tonight, the zone entries were just as hard, and, just like Tuesday, the power play coast the Canadiens’ momentum; it didn’t give them any, especially after it gave up a goal and nearly gave up a second one.
In the end, for much of the game, the Canadiens were dominant; they led 34-17 in shots, they won 64% of the faceoffs (36-20), and they led 28-26 in hits, but not playing for 60 minutes can be fatal, which it was on Thursday night.
This defeat leaves the Habs in a precarious position in the standings, with a two-point lead over the Sabres, but Buffalo has a game in hand. They are also just three points ahead of the Boston Bruins, who won tonight as well. As luck would have it, the Canadiens’ next game on Saturday will be against the Bruins, in Boston, and needless to say, it will be a do-or-die affair.
If last week's game in Las Vegas between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights taught us anything, it's that the rematch on Friday at Scotiabank Arena is sure to be an emotionally-charged game.
Mitch Marner returns to Toronto and will play as a visitor for the first time since the sign-and-trade that saw the player leave for the desert.
And following Toronto's last game, a 2-1 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings, spme of Marner's ex-teammates were asked about what they expect it will be like in the building when they play against the former Leaf of nine seasons.
He's been a special player for this team for a long time. He's been a big presence in the community as well, not just with hockey. So I would hope it's a warm welcome. I know he has nothing but good memories here, and I think the fans have experienced a lot of good memories with him as well. So he's a great guy. It's unfortunate he's not with our group anymore. But, yeah, I mean, I hope hockey is a place of respect, and I hope that the fans pay him respect. And I can't speak for everyone. and I don't know how everyone feels, but, just with playing with him. I know he's been an unbelievable guy, and it's going to be emotional for him.
It's going to be good. I think Mitch did a lot for this city while he was here. He was a really good player for this team for a while. I was fortunate to play with him for only a short period of time, but he did a lot of good things, and, yeah, I'm sure it's going to be........... loud *smirk*.
A lot of emotions, but if there's anything I can say, it's a beautiful thing in all regards. Obviously, he was here for a long time, but I hope he just comes in and takes advantage of the opportunity to appreciate just all the memories that he's built over his years here, and there's definitely going to be an extra spring in his step for sure. But overall, I think we want to just continue to play our game, focus on ourselves, but that will be an emotional one for him for sure.
- Maple Leafs defenseman Brandon Carlo on Marner's return.
In the first video of the series “Building Dreams,” presented by Self, we see the beginning of the 2025-2026 season through the eyes of Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper.
As the season progresses, the latest installment continues to follow Castle and Harper as they develop their on court Slash Brotherhood and their off court antics. The two are really like brothers.
Castle won the Rookie of the Year award last season, the fourth for the San Antonio Spurs. Harper has an impressive skillset and came into the NBA ready to compete. Both a aggressive, fearless, and lightning quick.
This episode introduces David Jones Garcia and his emergence into the league. Jones Garcia has a great story. He’s been that underdog that has Spurs fans in his corner.
Ther first episode launched at the beginning of December. The latest episode became available yesterday. At this pace, there could be a half-dozen videos by season’s end.
Enjoy, Pounders.
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These are the dog days of the season. Legs get heavy. Minds wander. Teams start peeking at the calendar, counting down the days until the All-Star break like it is a lifeboat. But in Phoenix, this part of the schedule feels different. Even on nights off, you can stare at the standings and feel real hope. Other teams lose, you inch up, and that only happens because you have earned the right to care.
So yeah, like most of you, I have been scoreboard watching. Quietly rooting for Western Conference chaos. I even threw a little money on the perfect Suns scenario last night. And if you have lived this life long enough, you know how that usually ends. Something always goes sideways.
Being a Suns fan teaches you to expect turbulence. But right now, even with that history, it feels okay to look up and dream a little. And for once, the basketball gods did not pull the rug out from under Phoenix.
While the Suns rested, the rest of the league finally caught up in games played. Houston is still sitting at 42, two fewer than Phoenix, but that math always evens out. You cannot hide forever.
So we had three games circled, three little stress tests for the standings, and all three broke the Suns’ way. Houston lost in overtime to Philadelphia, a Sixers team Phoenix had already handled, even if that version was missing Joel Embiid and Paul George. I do find an odd delight in seeing their boards flooded with the “KD is so good, why do we keep losing” conversations. Hmmm. I think I have some reasons why…
Chicago then did the funniest thing imaginable and knocked off Minnesota 120-115, pushing the Timberwolves a half game behind the Suns. And then came the battle of Los Angeles. Clippers versus Lakers, in an actual home building, not that rented Crypto situation. The Clippers took care of business by winning 112-104, stayed hot, and reminded everyone why the Play-In is not a place you want to be. Because they are lurking.
So what does it all mean? It means the Suns are fifth in the Western Conference. Fifth. In late January. The last time Phoenix was sitting fifth this late was March 1, 2024. They are tied with Houston at 9.5 games back of OKC, and sit 2.5 games back of Denver.
The Phoenix Suns sit at 5th in the West after losses by the Rockets, Lakers, and Wolves on Thursday night. pic.twitter.com/VzhLzo3wFB
That is real. That is earned. And for once, the night broke exactly how a Suns fan dreams it up, without the universe stepping in to ruin the ending.
None of it matters if you do not take care of your own business. The Suns have a real opportunity tonight as Houston plays Detroit. Beat Atlanta, and you move ahead of Houston and slide into fourth place in the West. Simple math. Hard reality.
The problem is the building. Atlanta has been a house of horrors for Phoenix. They have not won there since March of 2014. That is not a typo. That is a decade of weird bounces, bad vibes, and games that get away.
Scoreboard watching is fun. Tossing a little money on the perfect parlay is fun too, especially when it hits. But all of that is noise if you do not handle what is in front of you. Focus on Atlanta. Play clean. Finish the trip. Let everything else sort itself out. Tonight, that is the job.
MLB teams are continuing to make big moves for starting pitchers. Unfortunately, the Orioles are not currently one of those teams.
The Texas Rangers were the latest to strike for a high-upside hurler, acquiring Nationals ace MacKenzie Gore yesterday for a five-prospect package. The 26-year-old Gore was a first-time All-Star last season for Washington, posting a 3.02 ERA in the first half before injuries slowed him in the final month. He’s a hard-throwing, strikeout-happy, somewhat command-challenged lefty with two years of team control.
The rebuilding Nats had Gore on the market all winter, and there were some whispers that the Orioles were interested, but ultimately it was the Rangers who made the deal. They gave up five of their top 18 prospects (as ranked by MLB Pipeline), so it’s not as if Gore came cheap. That kind of package might have been too rich for Mike Elias’s blood, assuming the O’s were even interested in Gore to begin with. The Birds already parted with a number of prospects in their December deal for Shane Baz, another 26-year-old with an intriguing arm and multiple years of team control remaining.
With Gore off the board, one day after the Brewers dealt Freddy Peralta to the Mets, there are precious few starting pitchers left on the trade market. If the Orioles were hoping to go the trade route for a rotation upgrade, they might have missed their chance. Then again, they could swoop out of nowhere and acquire some pitcher that nobody even knew was available. That’s essentially what they did with Baz, who hadn’t been linked to the Orioles in any rumors before the O’s pulled off the trade. Elias tends to keep us on our toes, you know.
Do the Orioles have another pitching acquisition still to come, or are they going to roll into the spring with what they’ve got now? The latter would seem like a disappointing outcome, especially when so many O’s fans were convinced the team would act aggressively to land a top-shelf starter after the Pete Alonso signing.
It could still happen. But the opportunities are dwindling.
These two pitchers are more similar than I’d like to admit. But Baz has the advantage of having already returned from injury and pitched a full season, which is more than can currently be said of Grayson.
It’s the right decision, but it’s a real bummer that the Orioles’ fan event weekend will be cut short. I haven’t gotten to go bowling with Adley Rutschman in weeks.
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have five Orioles birthday buddies, though you might not have heard of most of them: infielders Cord Phelps (39) and Marty Brown (63); catcher Charlie Greene (55); outfielder Sherman Obando (56); and the late infielder Chico Carrasquel (b. 1926, d. 2005), who was a four-time All-Star with the White Sox before joining the Birds.
On this day in 1984, the Orioles signed Dan Ford. On this day in 1986, the Orioles released Dan Ford. Jan. 23 sure has been an eventful day for Dan Ford.
And on this date in 2010, the Orioles reunited with All-Star infielder Miguel Tejada, signing him to a one-year, $6 million deal. Tejada had been a star in his first stint with the Orioles from 2004-07, including a franchise-record 150 RBIs in 2004, before the rebuilding O’s traded him to Houston. His second stint in Baltimore, though, was forgettable. The longtime shortstop shifted to third base and struggled defensively, while his offense also plummeted (seven homers and a .670 OPS in 97 games). The Birds dumped Tejada and his salary to the Padres at the trade deadline.
