Best Record in Baseball

Braves win another series, and have the best record in baseball - 20-9. Mets and Phillies are 10+ games back. All this without Strider, Schwellenbach, Smith-Shauber, the closer Iglesias, catcher Murphy, and the starting shortstop. 

Come summertime when all those pitchers return, they'll have a relatively rested pitching staff headed into the stretch drive and playoffs. They'll have a glut of pitching, with Sale, Lopez, Ritchie, Elder, Stride, Schwellenbach, and Smith-Shauber - seven starters. Might go with a 6 man rotation and move Lopez to the bullpen. All this with the experts on social media blasting the GM AA for not emptying the bank for another starting pitcher. 

Plus the bottom of the batting order is producing, with two shortstops playing well. When the starter returns, one SS can also play the outfield and both can DH when Drake Baldwin catches. DH Dominic Smith is hitting 350. Lots of options. New manager Walt Weiss has the team playing aggressively. Looking good. Even baby Miller is jumping on the bandwagon (below).

Yesterday Chris Sale won his 150th career game. Crazy that a 150 game winner is being described as a lock for the hall of fame, but that's where we are in 2026. 

And speaking of the Braves, yesterday was Blooper 2's last game in the mascot suit. The original Blooper was lefthanded, and this more recent Blooper did a great job, creating the red shirted Mascot Security team. Last year before the All Star Game, I was able to snap a photo of Blooper without his head on. Guess I can't use it against him any more. 

After Sunday School we both did some grocery shopping. Took a nap, then drove down to babysit while W&MC went out on a date. Got home at 930 pm. 

Went to bed early in the hopes of playing golf this morning, but later realized a couple of reasons to not go. Now it might rain tomorrow.

Instead I went to the gym. Treadmill for an hour, then sauna, then a cool down on the treadmill. Realized I wouldn't have many chances use use a Whataburger coupon before it expired, so I cashed it in today. Free patty melt with purchase of fries and a drink. Plenty to eat. Ceil was spending the day with Miller and Anna.

Came home and watched the movie Heads Of State, with John Cena as the actor turned President. Air Force One gets shot down, and the Vice President is working to take down NATO. Not bad. 

RONALD ACUNA Jr.  [B-R Bio] banished Soto to second place in the 2018 NL ROY voting. Soto received two first-place vote, and 89 of the overall vote shares. Acuna, however, got 27 & 144 respectively. Acuna received all 30 first place votes for NL MVP in 2023. He led the NL in OPS (1.012) and led the majors in runs (149, the highest season total in either league since 2000), hits (217), and an eye-popping 73 stolen bases. The improbable combination of high HR & SB in one season has been the focus of sportswriters & statisticians since Willie Mays did in 1956 (36/40) & 1957 (35/38). Thirty HR & 30 SB has now been done 79 times by 50 different players, nobody in the 30/30 Club has ever stolen more than 70 bases in the 30/30 year. Acuna was the youngest ever MVP of the Arizona Fall League in 2017, helping the Peoria Javelinas win the league championship.

Even while traveling Friday evening, I had to check to see if Jamie Ding was able to continue his amazing win streak on Jeopardy. He did.