A huge loss

This space was supposed to be filled with a fond farewell to Dodger’s broadcaster Vin Scully. It will appear next week. We think the broadcasting legend would understand. On just so many levels, the loss of Miami ace pitcher Jose Fernandez is one of the greatest losses the game has ever endured. Tampa Bay area graduate, Cuban refugee, face of the Miami franchise and the one pitcher who the other 29 general managers in baseball, given the chance to build a rotation, would take above every other pitcher in the major leagues – just 24 years old and already a dominant force. What a tragedy – harking back to the loss of Indians’ pitchers Tim Crews and Steve Olin in a similar boating accident during spring training 23 years ago. A third pitcher, Bobby Ojeda, was seriously injured but survived. In both cases, there is tragic irony. Twenty-three years ago, the Indians had a chance to play an impromptu game with the Dodgers but Manager Mike Hargrove had promised his guys a day off and nixed the game – thus the ill-fated fishing trip. Fernandez was scheduled to pitch against the Braves on Sunday, but the Marlins pushed him back a day to go against the Mets. Had Fernandez pitched Sunday, there’s no way he’s out on a boat the night before. A huge, huge loss.

Tampa Bay, politics and stuff:

1. Normally notes like this one go in the section below. But Arnold Palmer was a sports figure who transcended sports. When you think of the game of golf, three names stand out above all others – Woods, Nicklaus and Palmer. And now Arnie’s Army no longer has its general.

2. Seldom has the sports world suffered two such great losses within 24 hours. Somewhat lost in all that was a very classy move by Boston’s David Ortiz to request a day honoring his last appearance at the Trop be cancelled in honor of Jose Fernandez.

3. Dunedin plans to spend $81 million to bring its spring training facilities up to speed. Two requests from an occasional visitor: (1) bring the audio and video systems up to something above the current Little League level and (2) Please – replace those horrendous seats. Thanks.

4. In a combined article, The New York Times and Washington Post declare Hillary Clinton the winner of last Monday’s debate. Due to deadline constraints, the article was written the previous Saturday – see disclaimer above.

5. You’ve lived in Clearwater a long time if you ever dined at the Garden Gate Restaurant in Sunshine Mall across from Jim Stewart Shoes.

The diamond, the media and other stuff:

6. So Time Magazine put Colin Kaepernick on its cover a few weeks ago. It’s not the first instance when Time has put someone who doesn’t particularly like America on its cover. Just look at their 1938, 1939 and 1979 men of the year.

7. The Baltimore Ravens who couldn’t get out of their own way with a 5-11 record last year are off to a 3-0 start this year however (and it’s a big however) their opponents thus far are a combined 1-8. There be stormy waters ahead.

8. Despite protests from virtually all corners, Slate is moving ahead with plans to forecast voting results before the polls close in several states including Florida. The idea is fraught with problems including the possibility of “cooking the books” as Slate is hardly viewed as a neutral source of information.

9. Jane Pauley becomes the first person not named Charles to host CBS’ extremely popular Sunday Morning magazine-style show. While a credible host and journalist, she has some very large shoes to fill following in the footsteps of the “Charlies” – Osgood and Kuralt.

10. During 2016, we have been occasionally spotlighting musical acts that achieved immediate success with their first charted song going all the way to Number One. Here are five more: The Elegants, Zager and Evans, The Singing Nun, The Hollywood Argyles and Laurie London. The songs were Little Star, In the Year 2525, Dominique, Alley -Oop and He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands. These five acts share something else in common – they never had another song hit the charts at any position!

Can our sports prognosticator Achmed make it two in a row?

After predicting last year’s World Series down to the number of games prior to the playoffs, Rants and Raves’ crack predictor of things sports, Achmed Walled (pronounced wall-ED) this year likes the Twins over the Braves in 7 – no wait, that was 1991. Achmed sometimes forgets his meds and gets confused. After proper dosage, he sees two teams who have not been to the Fall Classic for a while (one in 2011, the other 1945) doing battle. Achmed likes the Chicago Cubs over the Texas Rangers in six games. Ah, that toddling town.

SNEAK PEEK AT NEXT WEEK – SAYING GOODBYE TO VIN