Despite the Phillies' dismal season, there is actually a good reason to continue to watch the rest of their games. And not just because it will make you feel like summer can go on forever.
This is a good time to follow the individuals who give us hope for next year. As a Phillies fan, I am watching the development of first baseman/outfielder Rhys Hoskins. He's got off to an amazing start so far, hitting an incredible 11 home runs in his first 18 games as a major leaguer. This has never happened before in the hundred and fifty year history of baseball!
He reminds me of the Yankees' Aaron Judge, or the former Phillies third baseman, Scott Rolen. Let's stop with the comparisons of him being like Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Mike Trout has been the MVP of the league for the last five years. Hoskins is a newcomer. Calm down everybody. He's still got a long way to go to prove that he's the best.
In the U.S. Open tennis tournament, Maria Sharapova was given a wildcard status and ended up being placed along with second-seeded Simona Halep in the very first round. This was just an unfortunate setup for Halep to have to play against such a good player right away. It was a great match, but I had hoped it would be a match for the later part of the tournament. Sharapova's suspension is still a bit of dark cloud hanging over her. Winning right away will either help or hinder the fans' feelings as the tournament moves on.
I also think that the tennis season is way too long. Some of the top men players had to withdraw from the U.S. Open even before it started because of injuries sustained over the season. Andy Murray and Stan Wawrinka both withdrew with hip and knee injuries. The tennis season really only gives them the month of December to rest and recover. On an upbeat note though, there are a lot of good American players to watch in the beginning of this year's tournament.
There is a big World Cup qualifying game this week for the United States men's soccer team. The U.S. team will be playing their rival, Costa Rica. Costa Rica is one of the top three teams in our region along with the U.S. and Mexico. If the U.S. can find a way to win this game on Friday, they will take a huge step in qualifying for the World Cup that is planned for next year in Russia.
As I mentioned last week, the Little League World Series was a great event to follow. I do wish the championship game had been more competitive between Japan and Texas. It was clear that the Japanese team was a sure winner when they were able to win the game in just 5 innings with a lopsided score of 12 to 2. It really doesn't take anything away from the kids from Texas. They played their hearts out and it was a lot of fun to watch.
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A 2002 Cape grad and 2007 UD grad, Lewes resident Sumner Spence is one of the Cape area's biggest sports fans. Although he’s used a wheelchair his entire life, he has lived vicariously through his sports-playing father, brother, and friends, who gave him his love of sports. He hopes to provide new and interesting perspectives on the sports stories and issues of the day. Email Sumner at sumspence@gmail.com.
