SPRING BRINGS HOPE…it puts Winter behind us as we look forward to warmer temps, more sunlight, increased outdoor activities, etc. It’s true in the sports world also as HOPE hits on a different levels.

…..in the NBA, spring time is playoff time! Jason Tatum (Celtics) from St. Louis (Chaminade HS) as hopes of leading his team deep in the playoffs. Tatum has established himself as a  leader in many ways for the Celtics. Tatum is in his 8^th year in the NBA all as a  Celtic. Here’s a real pro. Seldom misses any games, has been in the starting lineup for each and every one of his Celtic games. Tatum averages 39 min/gm (48 min games).  He is listed on several Celtic records.  E.g. Points per 100 possessions—Tatum is #2 (22-23 season) and # 5, 6, 7, & 9. Tatum average 46.0min/ game in his entire career!  Not only is he very good, but he’s a gamer! He’s also in 5 of the top 10 in points per 10 possessions.  Tatum is 5^th in All-Time scoring leader for this outstanding franchise. He led them to the NBA Title in 2024! STL has to HOPE that more basketball players from the Lou represent & perform as well has Tatum has done in his career.

…Across the country, College basketball teams are HOPING to get a good seed in the NCAA Tourney. It seems evident that Mizzou will be going to the “Big Dance” this year. The HOPE now is…what seed will the Tigers land on? With a 21-7 record and a national ranking of #14, it’s my guess that the Tigers will likely end up a 4^th or 5th seed in the brackets. I’m writing this on Thursday….sooo…we’ll see Saturday. A worry to me is the Tigers road record. MU is 3-5 on the road this season.   All we can do is HOPE until the brackets are announced.

…the NCAA is considering some type of Summer schedule for college basketball players. I HOPE that idea fades away. We don’t need year-round basketball competition against other schools. You can bet that making additional money through these summer games is on the docket. Players/Coaches have to look in the mirror. Playing an extra 2-3 months isn’t going to help you reach the professional level. Currently, less than 2% of college basketball players become professional athletes.  Further, about 3% of high school basketball players reach the college basketball level. That means each HS player has 6/10,000% of reaching the professional level!  Forget the summer bball…enjoy the summer.

….HOPE is fading away for the Blues. As I write this on Thursday, the Blues sit in 11^th place of Western Division. The top 8 teams advance to the Playoffs. According to PlayoffStatus.com the Blues have a 90% chance of NOT making the playoffs. But not all is lost…Since Jim Montgomery took over as Head Coach the Blues have improved in goal scoring & offensive zone time. The Blues are currently averaging 3.08 goal/game which is 12^th in the NHL.

…3 goals/game seems to be the yardstick. If you score less than 3 goals in a game, chances of winning a slim. 11 NHL teams are averaging more than 3 goals in 2024-25 season. That being said, HC Jim Montgomery has the Blues averaging 3.08 goals/game—12^th in the NHL. Further the Blues are scoring more than 3 goals in almost 60% of Montgomery’s games compared to to just 41% under the previous HC.

…Overall, the HOPE that Montgomery would bring better play (hopefully in wins) appears to be taking place. Since his arrival, the Blues are 11-8-3, a clear improvement prior to his arrival. Further, the experienced Montgomery has given HOPE to the fans as he is giving young players more “time” on the ice while slicing different amounts of time for the veteran players. He’s getting “more” out of this group of players.

…in Florida, HOPE rules!  MLB teams have a plethora of young players getting their “shot” for the Big Time(the MLB). Other veterans fight to keep various roles on the roster. The “Closer” role is crucial in the 2020’s baseball. For the Cardinals, it’s Ryan Helsley. Helsley finished 2024 in the 99th percentile for velocity and the 97th percentile for whiff rate.                                                                                                        …But…now…Clouds are now appearing over Helsley in Jupiter, Florida. This week, in his ’25 debut in spring training, Helsley gave up 3 hits, 2 earned runs in a 16-pitch inning. His fastball came in around  95.5 MPH. That number is 4.1 MPH slower than his 2024 average! It’s way too early to jump to conclusions but…a significant decline in velocity has been a common precursor for pitchers who ultimately were required to have Tommy John Surgery!                                                                                                                                                                                   …I have HOPE that this extremely early thought is incorrect.  Hopefully, the Cardinals are playing close attention to their premier closer—Ryan Helsley.  The 30 year old Helsley was spectacular last year. He posted an ERA of 2.04, 49 saves, piled up 79 strikeouts in his 66 1/3 innings. He’s entering the final year of his contract. The Cards seem to have gone “all in” on Helsley this spring. Some had speculated that this year could be the possible “peak” year of performance for the 30 year old. The Cardinals are HOPING  and very bullish on Helsley that he’ll have another terrific year.  …It’s one thing to haggle over money with a player (Arenado) and another thing to see a key player, counted on to be THE CLOSER, to come up with arm issues. Let’s cling to that HOPE that it isn’t a severe arm issue.                                                   

… Still, the 30-year-old remains in St. Louis without much reported traction in trade negotiations. The Cards appear rather bullish on Helsley, and understandably so, but this is not the time to cling tightly to veterans whose salary base will be escalating. St. Louis has publicly announced it’s “Reset” approach for 2025..and probably ’26, ‘27, ’28. So, if the Helsley situation persists or deteriorates, it may simply mean that the Cards have lost a key trading piece.  However it turns out, it’s fair to say that Helsley’ current situation looms over the Cardinal plans for 2025 (and beyond). As it is, Helsley’s prime value may have already slid away, or maybe even,  slid far downwards due to injury. Let’s HOPE for all involved that Helsley recovers completely.

…on the other side, HOPE has already risen with the work of RHP Tekoah Roby. Roby came to StL as part of the trade that sent Jordan Montgomery to Texas. His early work in Florida has demonstrated that he’s someone  to watch as spring training progresses. His early work in Florida has opened eyes during bullpen sessions, live batting practice & his 1^st spring appearance. In that debut, Roby struck out 3 batters in 2 scoreless innings. He could work his way into the rotation, or slot into a middle reliever…or…who know, become the setup man for the closer. Keep your eye on this guy!!

…There is more HOPE for StL City after the opening game last week. With the draw at home against Colorado last week, City continued their streak in the first 5 games of a season. In it’s first  two seasons, CITY SC have remained undefeated in their first five matches of each season. Compiling a total record of 6 wins and 4 ties (6-0-4 record). St. Louis continued its undefeated streak on opening night with a draw against Colorado Rapids, improving their record to 1-0-2, while scoring four goals in that span. As usual, when a win is posted, both sides of the ball contribute to the win. In goal, Roman Bürki earned his 16th career MLS shutout. For the second time in club history, CITY SC kept its opponent from registering a single shot on goal. On the the other end of the pitch, the CITY SC team outshot the Rapids 18-2, out possessed them with 54% of the ball. Sooo…it really was a “clear” win for City. The Match  tonight (Saturday) has a  kickoff slated for 9:30 p.m. Central.

…I HOPE that you’ve enjoyed the read. I HOPE that you’ll send your thoughts on any of the topics. It’s enjoyable for you (to give YOUR thought) and for others to provide them with another angle. Thanks!  Have a fun week.  Bob