![]() ![]() And I suspect, if 2023 ballot results were published, he would finish fourth behind basketball’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, golfer Nick Taylor and swimmer Summer McIntosh, in no particular order, for top athlete. He is the best hockey player in the world. McDavid won the Art Ross Trophy, the Hart Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award. That’s 1.82 points per game - the most productive scoring year in hockey since 1996. HEAR AND THERE Does Connor McDavid have to win a Stanley Cup before he will get strong consideration for Canada’s athlete of the year? With 21 days left in 2023, McDavid has scored 49 goals and 86 assists for 135 points in 74 games in the calendar year of 2023. Ohtani has this in common with Vladdy and Bo: None of them have ever won a playoff game. Guerrero’s home runs have dropped from 48 to 32 to 26 the past three years. That’s 18 more than Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and 51 more than Bo Bichette. The rest of the starting lineup, a whole lot of meh … The past three seasons, Ohtani hit 124 home runs. Unless Kirk finds his earlier form, that’s still a very weak bottom … It will be fun to watch the top of the Yankees order with Juan Soto and Aaron Judge or Judge then Soto. The Jays have Cavan Biggio, Alejandro Kirk and Daulton Varsho near the bottom of their order. All of that in a very thin free-agent class … Buck Showalter likes to say that you can judge a major-league roster by who hits 6-7-8-9. Without him, they need a left-handed power hitter, a DH, a left fielder, a third baseman and maybe a second baseman. ![]() How much should the 15th-leading scorer get paid? The 15th-highest paid player today makes $10 million a year … With Ohtani, the Jays still had openings to fill. He is fifth among right wingers in scoring, 13th among forwards. That is likely to drop as the season continues. He’s anything but a sure thing … As fine as William Nylander is playing in his most complete season, consider this, because I’m sure the Leafs are considering it: He currently ranks 15th in league scoring. ![]() He has started only 129 games in five seasons. Meanwhile, Ilya Samsonov has to find himself, yet again. He has played 10 years in the NHL, started 429 games, and 60 or more in four straight seasons in San Jose. I hope emerging goalie Joseph Woll can make it back within a month … Third goalie Martin Jones was a wise signing by GM Brad Treliving. I wasn’t right for six weeks, maybe eight. A seasoned NHL observer noted: “This is the weakest Leafs team of the past four to five years.” … I’m in my 60s and not an athlete of any kind, but I did suffer a high ankle sprain in 2022. That must be driving the coaching staff nuts. What’s not impressive: Their puck management, their play without the puck, and their overall team structure. That would represent the third-best season in club history. What now for the heartbroken Blue Jays and their equally heartbroken and exhausted fan base? THIS AND THAT The Maple Leafs’ record is impressive. SIMMONS SAYS: Jays strike out for Ohtani, but at least were in the game ![]()
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