In a shocking turn of events, claiming an award race is locked up after Opening Day wasn’t the best idea.

Especially since I didn’t even stay up late enough to watch on the very night in question — Chase DeLauter mashed two home runs in his regular season debut for the Guardians

Well wouldn’t you know, the kid clearly read my write up and decided to show me why I shouldn’t be counting my winnings on my McGonigle AL RotY ticket. As on Friday, he mashed his 3rd home run of his rookie campaign on only it’s 2nd day

But surely my king Kevin McGonigle has my back right?

Well… alrighty then. It’s a long season ahead, and Chase DeLauter is making his impression on the AL Central race early.

For much of the 2010’s you couldn’t scroll through twitter on any given summer night without seeing a Mike Trout highlight or two blessing your timeline.

Sadly father time has caught up to the sure-fire Hall of Famer, as he’s only managed to suit up for 449 of the 870 possible games since the COVID shortened 2020 season. Never eclipsing 130 games in that stretch, and playing under 82 in four of those six campaigns.

But perhaps the 16th year Vet is ready to turn back the clock.

On Friday night Trout followed up his Opening day HR with a second LAZER BEAM into the Houston bleachers

I’m not going to advise betting on 34 year old with his injury history to win the AL MVP, but it might be time to monitor that 50-1 price still being offered on some major books.

Don’t look now, but the Angels are 2-0 with Friday’s 6-2 victory over the ‘Stros.

The San Francisco Giants opted to take an unconventional approach to their managerial position after parting with Bob Melvin after a pair of completely unremarkable ~.500 seasons. New President of Baseball operation Buster Posey turned to the college ranks to bring in Tony Vitello, a national championship winning coach at the University of Tennessee.

Known for his energetic and at times abrasive operating style, this was seen as a serious boom-or-bust hire

Well, early returns are starting to come in… and… YIKES.

After a very odd, and confrontational press gaggle back in February, those in baseball were already questioning how he would handle the spotlight that comes in a major league setting.

But as the Giants have now failed to score a run in either of their first two games — dropping Fridays contest 3-0 to the Yankees while only recording 1 hit — it appears even Tony felt the need to clear the air on the environment he’s created in the clubhouse in the early going.

I haven’t spent much time in a Major League clubhouse, but I did spend a good bit time in the college and Minor League versions — and I can tell you “fire and brimstone” are certainly not how professionals want to be handled.

That bravado and commandeering persona will work in the college ranks. You are the constant and visual face of the program. Players only have finite amount of time with the team, where as the coach in theory could be a mainstay for the long run. They are afforded a certain level of eminence that isn’t found in managers for most Major League franchises.

It’s exactly why great College Football coaches very rarely work in the NFL. The chemistry of a locker room is entirely different. You can’t treat professionals like college kids, and I think Tony is learning that the hard way right now.

Major League Baseball is a different beast. It is a 162 game marathon, and it is the job of the manager to massage egos and maintain the vibe that brings out the best in the group. Vitello has always been the one dominating the clubhouse. His teams embodied his passion, his vigor, and his brand of dynamism — certainly something Buster Posey sought to bring to the Giants who had lacked any edge the last few seasons.

But I think the foundation is starting to crack — and the fire Posey hoped would be brought out of his guys? It might just be the early makings of a dumpster fire in The Bay.

Baseball’s resident ol’ coot Bob Nightengale bestowed this beautiful attempt at an original thought

Acting as if paying your homegrown prospects $100 million a piece is anything close to what the Dodgers have been doing. Nice try Boob.

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Cam Schlittler is obviously new to the Yankees scene

Brother, you are not being hated ON, you are simply being hated. You’re the Yankees. Though the evil Empire hasn’t won a World Series since 2009, you are still going to be the villain to the rest of the sport. No need to subtweet the world every night, this isn’t middle school

But if you keep doing this:

Then you can talk all the shit you want