Family Good Stuff – Page 2

My MLB All Star Ballot is Complete

The family and I submitted our All Star ballots this weekend. We try our best not to get wrapped up in electing the players from our favorite teams but some of us (ahem, Caitlyn) couldn’t help ourselves. In conversing with Matthew, I realized I erred by leaving off Pete Crow-Armstrong. Well, we get four other chances to vote and I could rectify that by voting for PCA as well as others I overlooked (Manny Machado and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. come to mind). I miss voting in person at the ballpark with the hanging chads. But nothing beats voting with the family and discussing our choices afterwards.

The first thing to stand out is the fact I selected three players from the A’s. Jacob Wilson is a no brainer with his .349 batting average. I felt Lawrence Butler did enough both at the plate and in the field to merit inclusion. I realize that Steven Kwan might be more deserving and if I were to cast a second ballot, he would be included. Brent Rooker to me is the best designated hitter in the American League, plus he gets a couple of extra points for being on my fantasy team. On the National League side, PCA will easily make my second potential selection ahead of Kyle Tucker and or/Corbin Carroll. James Wood is having a phenomenal season, one that would be garnering more notice if the Washington Nationals weren’t in fourth place in the National League East. Machado is an intriguing alternative to Eugenio Suarez, however, Suarez does lead the NL in both home runs and RBI’s. Will Smith probably will be the NL catcher but Hunter Goodman has proven to be quite the bright light for the dreadful Colorado Rockies. Smith would get my vote the second time around.

The All Star Game is truly the Midsummer Classic for our family. We vote together and we watch the game together. Take a look at my selections. How much do you agree with them?

Living With a Rough Phillies’ Month

The Philadelphia Phillies are in the middle of a pretty bad stretch. They just snapped a five game losing streak, have lost eight of their last ten games and were swept this past weekend by the woeful Pittsburgh Pirates. On May 24, they were up by three games in the National League East; today they trail the New York Mets by four games. Bryce Harper is on the ten day injured list with a wrist injury. June has not been a kind month, to say the least, to the Phillies.

It’s making our house both tense and amusing at the same time thanks to a certain Phillies’ fan.

Bryce Harper’s IL stint is compounding the Phillies’ problem. Credit: Seattle Times

You can only imagine the pain Caitlyn is feeling and the endless one liners delivered by her. However, there is only so many, “My team is so bad” and “We stink” sentences a guy can stand. I will say her quote on Sunday of, “It’s ironic that we have a pride logo because we have nothing to be proud of” was a great zinger. We (yes, it’s more than just me) have to remind her how long the baseball season is. I get it. In a division where the Mets seem to be on an endless loop of playing the Colorado Rockies and Chicago White Sox, to her, Philadelphia is heading for a 100 loss season. She also can’t get out of her head the “regression” her team has made: World Series in 2022, NLCS in 2023, Division Series in 2024. Instead of lamenting her current sorry state, Caitlyn should realize that there 96 games left in the season, plenty of time for her beloved team to capture a second straight division title.

At least there is some good news. The Phillies defeated the Chicago Cubs, 4-3 in 11 innings. Also, the Atlanta Braves are ten games under .500. much to Caitlyn’s delight. I hope tonight’s victory kick starts a winning stretch for the Phillies. If not, maybe I can publish more comedic material courtesy of one of their biggest fans.

New York Mets vs. Philadelphia Phillies: One Girl’s Pain

On Monday evening, we made the trip to Citi Field to watch the New York Mets take on the Philadelphia Phillies. It was the four of us (Ryan went back to Siena earlier in the day), one of Caitlyn’s friends and a couple whose son is friends with Matthew. Beatrice and I remained neutral while everyone else (minus Caitlyn) was a Mets’ fan. If you know the result of the game, then you know that one of us went home not happy. In fact, after today’s game, it became clear that Caitlyn was almost ready to throw the towel in on the Phillies’ season.

Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto ready for action. Credit: Matthew Lynch

This was the third time we have seen Aaron Nola pitch in person. And for the third time, Philadelphia came out on the short end of the score. We had good seats, section 329 row 16. In came in handy when on this chilly night, we managed to avoid the brief drizzle that fell during the course of the contest. When Francisco Lindor led off the first inning with a home run and Jesse Winker led off the second inning with a home run, Caitlyn knew it was not a good omen. It didn’t help her cause watching Tylor Megill whiff ten Phillies’ batters, either. For Matthew and the rest of the Met fans, it was sheer delight when Lindor cranked a three run homer in the seventh inning to give the home team what seemed to be an insurmountable 5-0. It was around this time that Caitlyn reminded me emphatically that the Phillies needed bullpen help and that I would tell her they would be fine. Their second highest bullpen ERA that flashed across the TV screens above us made me a liar. She did have some joy in the ninth inning when Bryson Stott smacked a three run home run of his own to cut the lead to 5-4. Unfortunately for Caitlyn, Bryce Harper struck out to end the game, leading to yet another disappointing stadium outcome for her.

This is why I love my kids and marvel at how wonderful they are. There was no trash talking between Matthew and Caitlyn. Matthew was surely thrilled his Mets were victorious but was happy for Caitlyn that she got to see a big Phillies’ rally. As for Caitlyn, the rest of this series went as poorly you can get. Cristopher Sanchez left Tuesday’s start early with forearm trouble. Wednesday’s game was an extra inning loss, even after Philadelphia took the lead in the tenth inning. The series sweep left the team with a record of 13-12 and a certain young lady in my house ready to challenge them all to a fight.

What If She Didn’t Pick the Phillies?

I was driving home from work on Friday listening to the Yankees play the Pirates. In the fifth inning, Isiah Kiner-Falefa was picked off by Max Fried to record the second out of the frame. As the rest of the inning played out, you could hear the Pittsburgh crowd chanting, “sell the team”, this after a plane flew over the stadium imploring owner Bob Nutting to sell the Pirates. It was right at that point that I wondered aloud about something I never even gave a second thought.

I am thankful Caitlyn became a Phillies fan. Credit: WHYY

What if Caitlyn didn’t pick the Phillies as her team?

I think I have mentioned how Caitlyn became a Phillies fan. Toward the end of the 2016 season, the Mets were beating up Philadelphia as they drove to the Wild Card game. Matthew was becoming a little bit too loud for Caitlyn’s taste so she declared her allegiance to the Phillies on the spot. I thought about this while driving because the Phillies are really good now. If it were the Pirates that happened to be playing the Mets at that time in 2016, would she have picked them? What about the White Sox? The Angels? All three of those franchises are currently lost with little hope in sight. More importantly, would Caitlyn be as much of a baseball fan now if she had rooted for a team that consistently finished under .500? Granted, it took the Phillies another four years to break .500 but her loyalty has resulted in three consecutive playoff appearances, including a World Series berth.

The most fortunate aspect for Caitlyn choosing the Phillies is the ease in which we can go see them play at their ballpark. Can you imagine if she became a Dodgers or Giants fan? I don’t think we would be making many trips to see their home games. Thank goodness the Mets crushed the Phillies nine years ago. Following three good teams throughout the course of the baseball season makes each day so much fun.

Three Teams, One Family: How Do We Watch the Games?

One of the more challenging aspects of having three different favorite teams under one roof is deciding which game to watch. We do enjoy watching baseball together as a family, making it difficult to keep one station on for more than an inning. One would think that with me being the Dad and Ryan being the oldest child we should give the lion’s share of the viewing to the Yankees. However, with me seeing lots of Yankee victories over the years, I’d rather choose the happiness of my kids over my own interests.

Pete Alonso and the Mets are no always the game of choice. Credit: New York Post

So how do divide the television viewing up equally?

First off, I have been a little lax ordering MLB Extra Innings. That means Caitlyn does not get to watch her team as much as the boys get to watch theirs. Whenever the opportunity arises to catch a Phillies game on TV, we watch them over the Yankees and Mets. Perhaps this is the year we go back to Extra Innings and Caitlyn can get a chance to see her team a little bit more. MLB At Bat is always live in our house. Therefore, when we get a notice of a big inning, the child whose team is not the game of choice, goes to one of the other two TV’s to watch. I will sometimes stroll back and forth between the two rooms to see what unfolds. I do have the Optimum app so if we want to remain in one room, we put the other game on the app. Sometimes, we may decide that the more completive game is the one we view. Whenever there is a blowout, both on the winning and losing side, we shut that game off and go to the better one. Needless to say, there is a lot of channel surfing going on for at least six months.

We will not get to the point where more than another television finds its way into the living room. The setup we have now works just fine. No matter whose team is on, we will all root for them except when they play one another. Even when there is a Mets-Phillies game or Yankees-Mets contest, we are all respectful to one another….most of the time.

First Series Recap: A Mixed Bag

The Major League Baseball season just started. Yet, much like returning to school after Summer vacation, it doesn’t take long to feel as though baseball never left. If you scour over the landscape this weekend, teams of most fans feel as though the 2024 season is still continuing. The Dodgers are winning, the Pirates can’t get out of their own way and the Guardians continue to prosper despite offseason maneuverings. For those of us who are Yankees, Mets and Phillies fans, the same highs and lows that have been a part of this household for years were on full display over these past four days.

Bryson Stott and the Phillies had a good start to the season. Credit: Fox 29 Philadelphia

New York Mets

One can say that last season’s NLCS appearance should absolve the Mets from early criticism. However Matthew and I seem to have the same conversation every year. They pitch really well but they can’t hit when it matters, and sometimes like Saturday night, not at all. It won’t be an 0-6 start but suddenly the Mets are about to run into a hot team in the Miami Marlins. There is no panic in the house right now although Beatrice seems to think that Juan Soto should get a hit every time he comes to the plate based on what he is being paid. Matthew is more reserved but is still frustrated about scoring six runs in three games. He didn’t even bother watching the ninth inning of the series finale.

New York Yankees

Ryan doesn’t have Gleyber Torres to kick around anymore but five errors in one game? That is about the only negative to the hot start by the reigning, defending American League champions. After demolishing Brewers’ pitching with 15 home runs, the Yanks’ choice of bats is catching some attention. The pitching wasn’t the best but it didn’t have to be. Ryan and I are both confident that it will come around once the weather starts getting better. The two of us believe that the offense will continue to crank out a bucket full of runs even without Giancarlo Stanton. When Ryan returns home in less than three weeks, anything less than a first place standing will be a major disappointment.

Philadelphia Phillies

“We should have swept them”. That was Caitlyn’s remark after the Phils dropped the series finale 5-1 to the Washington Nationals. Still, she’s happy they won two of their first three games on the road. It’s always a roller coaster of emotions watching games with her. One minute she is proud of them, the next minute, well they stink. On balance, this is a much better start than the last two seasons when they were swept in Texas in 2023 and dropped two out of three to the Braves to begin 2024. Much less angst to begin this year and I even detected a smile or two.

New York Mets on Apple TV: Killing Our Friday Night

Ryan came home for a quick weekend visit this weekend. In fact, he is laying on the couch as I write this. When we found out he would be coming home for his cousin’s Confirmation on Saturday, we knew it was on the second day of the baseball season. Perfect timing. Upon looking at the schedule, we saw the Yankees and Phillies would be off so the Mets would have our undivided attention, playing in Houston at 8:10 PM. However, there was just one small problem with this perfect scenario.

No Mark Vientos and the Mets for us on Friday night. Credit: Forbes

The Mets and Astros are playing on Apple TV.

We don’t have Apple TV.

Look, I know this is now the fourth season of games streaming exclusively on Apple TV. The complaints about games being blacked out in local markets are long gone by now. That doesn’t mean we still can’t be annoyed by this ridiculous setup. The NFL Thursday night package on Amazon allows the local TV markets to view their contests. The Jets and Giants are one of the major networks on Thursday nights when they play. Actually, the NFL is the one league in which consumers would buy a streaming service just so they could favorite team play. The other sports, including baseball don’t have that luxury, a result of having so many games. The only reason I can come up with as to why we don’t receive our local teams on Apple TV nights is that Apple pays MLB more not to broadcast in local markets. Brilliant strategy for alienating your fans.

The next time you hear an MLB official say how important the fans are, refer to this post. If MLB was really looking out for fans, this Apple deal would never have gone through as presently constructed. Baseball needs more fans; this is not how you gain them. Take less money, give us the Apple games in our markets and don’t ruin a Lynch Friday night again.

MLB Opening Day: Family Gears Up

March 27 is as close to Christmas as you can get. I have a hard time calling it Opening Day since two games have been played already. Be that as it may, our family has been waiting for this day since the last out of the 2024 World Series. Spring Training is done. Free agents have been signed. Trades have been completed. Dreams have been delayed as players get sent down to the Minors. And yes, the weather is getting better.

Let’s celebrate the return of baseball. Credit: USA Today

Welcome back, baseball!

Our group chats are about to become more lively. In six weeks, when Ryan comes home from school, the conversations go from digital to to personal.

It will be mornings watching Quick Pitch.

Evenings will be spent switching the TV from game to game.

My dad putting “the horns” on the Yankees, Mets and Phillies.

There will be the occasional commute home listening to a random A’s-Angels game.

Which baseball book will I read next?

Ryan will complain about Aaron Boone.

Caitlyn will say one Phillies’ loss will lead to a ten game losing streak; then a Phillies’ win will turn into a World Series parade.

Matthew, by game three, will be on the lookout for a trade that will help the Mets.

I look forward to everyone under one roof (or a road trip) talking baseball.

This really is like Christmas.

Can’t wait.

Each Team’s Step Up Player

Today is one of the those days where I have decided to turn control over to the three Lynch kids. I have each of them to identify the player from their team who is about to take a big leap forward or play a bigger role. When I first posed the question, I am not quite sure if they understood what I was looking for. Caitlyn said Aaron Nola was her guy and then I had to remind her that he was an established Major Leaguer coming off a solid season. After clarifying my request, their minds went to work. What follows is the finished product in their own words (with a little commentary from me).

Perhaps Brett Baty can stick around for all of 2025. Credit: New York Post

New York Mets: Brett Baty

After a great start to 2024, Baty was sent down to Triple A at the end of May. With Mark Vientos firmly entrenched at third base, Baty seemed to a be man without a position. Matthew’s reasoning for Baty to play a big role for the Mets in 2025 is based on his Spring Training numbers. He has three home runs and ten extra base hits in 18 games. Jeff McNeil‘s injury has opened the door to a roster spot where he is getting a long look at second base. Perhaps the role as a swing infielder in the Jose Iglesias mold is where Baty will help the Mets the most in 2025.

Philadelphia Phillies: Orion Kerkering

The 23 year old right hander became an important piece of the Phillies’ bullpen during their 2023 playoff run. Kerkering had a tremendous first full season in 2024 with a 2.32 ERA in 63 games. He will be asked to expand his role this season with All Star Jeff Hoffman now in Toronto. Hopefully, Kerkering can channel the advice from his former teammate which you can read about here. Not only is Hoffman gone but Matt Strahm may not open the season in Philadelphia as he is dealing with a shoulder impingement. Even more pressure is on him because if he fails, Caitlyn will be requesting to meet him in the parking lot.

New York Yankees: Anthony Volpe

The Yanks’ shortstop had an uneven second campaign as his homer output was sliced nearly in half but he raised his batting average 34 points. Volpe’s grand slam in the World Series has fans hopeful that his bat can be much more viable in his third season. His club will need him to improve the anemic less than .300 on base percentage dramatically with the loss of Juan Soto and the potential long term unavailability of Giancarlo Stanton. His defense regressed in 2024 but Ryan looks forward to a Gold Glove caliber season in 2025. If New York wants to win back-to-back pennants, Volpe will have to become a next level player.

Garrett Stubbs Sent to the Minors, Sadness in the House

It wasn’t the best of Thursday evenings for us. It has nothing to do with mine and Matthew’s brackets being busted by dinner time. A bit of bad news in baseball cast a pall prior to St. John’s beginning their NCAA Tournament run. A week before the rest of MLB teams play their first games came the words no player wants to hear.

Unfortunately, Garrett Stubbs was sent to Triple A. Credit: 97.3 ESPN

The Philadelphia Phillies sent Garrett Stubbs to Triple A Leigh Valley.

Caitlyn is devastated.

After all, she would tell anyone who would listen (whether they wanted to hear her opinion or not) that Garrett Stubbs was the best backup catcher in baseball. On the field, he performed well on the rare days J.T. Realmuto would need a day off or play as a designated hitter. Off the field, he was one of the most popular players on the team. He was the guy that created the “Phils Win” playlist during the Phillies’ 2022 pennant winning season. Callum Scott’s, “Dancing on My Own” is now on Caitlyn’s playlist and frankly, the song is pretty darn good. He would wear red pinstripe overalls and a case of beer on his head whenever the Phillies would have a champagne celebration.

Stubbs was sent down because he still had one Minor League option remaining. Rafael Marchan, who has been in the Phillies’ organization since age 16, is now Realmuto’s backup. He was out of Minor League options and played well enough during Spring Training to stick with the team. For Caitlyn’s sake, let’s hope we see Garrett Stubbs in a Phillies’ uniform again this season.