ButlerBulldog

No argument there, but I wouldn’t write off the futures of Luke or Simon until they’ve played at least three seasons. It took Nico, Jesper, and Jack some time to settle into their roles, and defenseman typically has a steeper learning curve than wing or center.

This made me laugh.

I kind of like Utah Venom, although I wonder if that means their mascot will be a snake or scorpion as opposed to the villain from Spider-Man.

Agreed. I don’t know how the narrative that they’re bad defensemen got started, but it wasn’t supported by what I saw from them this past season. Both had growing pains, but that was to be expected. Even Fitz isn’t stupid enough to trade either of them. Any GM asking if they’re available deserves to be hung up on.

This is why I’m glad the Yankees didn’t get into a bidding war for Snell’s services or make a last-ditch effort to keep him out of San Francisco. They made an offer that they thought was fair, and when he didn’t take it, they moved on.

Gotcha’. I forget about Chris sometimes, as I always get distracted by how weird Mike McDaniel is.

His brother or Scott Fitzgerald’s? You’re going to make Tom cry again.

And a good one, as I think it has a strong chance of happening.

My only concern about this scenario is that Luke and Simon might be indirectly penalized because they’re teammates. Sometimes, candidates from the same team split the vote, allowing another player to ultimately win.

It looks like McNeil’s starting to hit—.327/.407/.423 in his last 15 games—but he’s much like DJ LeMahieu in that while he’ll put the ball in play, he’s not someone who can win a game by himself or carry a team for stretches.

Agree completely with this, and I think we’ve already seen signs of this based on their respective performances this season. Both had their moments, but Luke’s were more visible, whereas Simon’s were more subtle. Consider the below examples: In the first clip—perhaps the best individual play of the season for the Devils—Luke skates end-to-end to score a game-tying goal against the Blue Jackets, evoking memories of Scott Niedermayer’s mad-dash against Detroit almost twenty nine years ago and showing why so many rave about Luke’s superior speed and skating ability. In the second clip, Nemec picks up a primary assist on an Alex Holtz goal against the Blackhawks, but what really makes the score possible is not Simon’s playmaking but his earlier awareness and ability to ensure the puck stays in the attacking zone. Keep-ins don’t contribute to point totals, but they play an important role in the success or failure of a possession.

I’ve high hopes for Nemec as well. I just hope he has a chance to work with a defensive coach who knows what he’s doing.

Pleased to see a young guy like Nemec putting in the work despite the season being over.

Starling Marte looks like the player of two seasons ago.

More drama in the Bronx, as A’s outfielder Lawrence Butler was ejected in the 9th inning by homeplate umpire John Tumpane after questioning a called third strike that was clearly above the zone. The Yankees came away with a 4-3 win.