Whitey Ford, R.I.P.

Longtime New York Yankees pitcher Edward Charles "Whitey" Ford, also known as the Chairman of the Board, passed away yesterday just 12 days shy of what would have been his 92nd birthday. No cause of death has been released.

Ford was arguably the greatest pitcher in New York Yankees history as evidenced by his 236 career wins, the most of any Yankees pitcher, and 10 wins in the World Series, the most by any pitcher in MLB history. Ford is certainly among the greatest left-handed pitchers in MLB history. 

Born in Manhattan, Ford grew up in the Astoria section of Queens. He signed with the Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1947. Nicknamed Whitey by Lefty Gomez (another Yankees pitching legend who was managed him in the minor leagues), Ford would make the club in 1950 and made an immediate impact going 9-1 with a 2.81 ERA tossing 10 complete games and two shutouts in only a dozen starts. Ford would finish runner up in AL Rookie of the Year balloting to Walt Dropo of the Boston Red Sox. This was not too disappointing as Ford would earn his first of six World Series rings.

After missing the 1951 and 1952 seasons due to military commitments, Ford pick up where he left off in 1953 winning 18 games and another World Series ring. In 1954, Ford would be named to his first of 10 AL All-Star teams. He would earn the AL ERA title in both 1956 and 1958, posting marks of 2.47 and 2.01, respectively.

Ford's best season came in 1961. While that season was remembered for Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle's pursuit of Babe Ruth's then single season home run record, Ford earned a career high 25 wins and 283 innings pitched (both of which also led the AL) en route to his only Cy Young Award - which at the time was awarded to only pitcher for both leagues. 

Nicknamed the Chairman of the Board by his longtime battery mate Elston Howard, Ford would retire following the 1967 season. In 16 seasons with the Yankees, Ford went 236-106 with an ERA of 2.75 compiling a winning percentage of .690 - the best in the modern era of MLB. Ford would be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974, his second year of eligibility with 77.4% of the vote. He would inducted alongside his old teammate and friend, Mickey Mantle. 

Following his playing career, Ford served as the Yankees first base coach in 1968 and would later return as the team's pitching coach in 1974 and 1975. Ford tried his hand at broadcasting with the Toronto Blue Jays during their expansion season in 1977. Aside from appearances at Old Timer's Day at Yankee Stadium, Ford largely kept out of the limelight splitting his time between Long Island and Florida.

Ford is the fourth Hall of Famer to pass away in less than six weeks. Tom Seaver, another New York pitching legend, died on August 31st with St. Louis Cardinals' greats Lou Brock and Bob Gibson passing away within a month of each other. Detroit Tigers legend Al Kaline also passed away in April in this awful year that is 2020.

Ford's passing comes only hours before the Yankees take the field for the fifth and deciding game of the ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays. Gerrit Cole, a pitcher many believe would be Cooperstown bound one day will toe the rubber for the Bronx Bombers. Perhaps some devine inspiration will be in order this evening. R.I.P.

Braves & Dodgers Face Off in NLCS; Astros Advance to Fourth Straight ALCS

The MLB post-season picture became clearer today with three of the four division series being decided today.

The Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers will face off in the 2020 NLCS having swept the Miami Marlins and the San Diego Padres, respectively, thus ending the Cinderella dreams of two teams that had not played in the post-season since 2003 and 2006. This will be the Braves' first appearance in the NLCS since 2001 when they fell to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Meanwhile, the Dodgers will be playing in the fourth NLCS in the past five years. The NLCS will commence on Monday night in Globe Life Park and shall be played in front of fans. This strikes me as an unwise decision. Although only 11,500 tickets will be issued it is most likely that fans wanting to attend the NLCS (and the World Series) will come from out of state thus increasing the likelihood of a COVID spike. 

Over in the American League, the Houston Astros have reached their fourth straight ALCS having defeated the AL West champion Oakland A's in three out of four games. Although the Astros finished the regular season with a sub .500 record their post-season experience helped them outlast the Twins and now the A's. The Astros will found out who they play tomorrow night when the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays play the fifth and deciding game of their ALDS. Should the Yankees prevail then it will the third New York-Houston ALCS in four years. Should the Rays prevail, it will their first ALCS since winning their lone AL pennant in 2008. The ALCS will commence on Sunday in Los Angeles.

It's really weird that the Dodgers will be playing the NLCS in Texas while Dodger Stadium will host the ALCS. That's 2020 for you.

Thoughts on Trump Refusing to Debate Biden

President Trump announced he would not participate in the second presidential debate scheduled for a week from tonight when the Commission on Presidential Debates ruled the debate would take place on virtually on account of Trump being afflicted with COVID-19 and to prevent further spread.

It reminds me of when Trump skipped one of the GOP debates in January 2016. Of course, that didn't harm him in the least. So why not do the same here?

But I think there's another dimension to Trump's decision. The second debate is a town hall format - something at which Biden excels. Trump not so much as evidenced when he described "herd immunity" as "herd mentality".

I have a feeling that Trump will want to proceed with the third scheduled debate on October 29th as it will be a moderator only debate as was the case in the first debate. With no one but a moderator posing questions, I can't imagine Trump passing up an opportunity to hector Biden for 90 minutes straight with a few obligatory pot shots at the moderator. Given the ongoing concerns about COVID (assuming if Trump insists it be held in person), Biden might opt out of the third debate as Trump has opted out of the second one. Of course, that won't stop Trump from saying that Biden chickened out. 

In the absence of a second debate in a week from now, Biden will have a socially distant town hall meeting in Philadelphia while Trump will hold a rally at a yet to be determined location despite the possibility he might still test positive. Trump might hold a rally as soon as Saturday in Florida. Trump is behaving as a man who has learned nothing. The Trump super spreader events shall resume. The same cannot be said of the debates.

Some Very Fine People Wanted to Kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer

So some very fine people wanted to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer and overthrow the state government due to COVID restrictions. Per The Detroit News:

Federal agents said Thursday they thwarted a plot to violently overthrow the government and kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer — a conspiracy that included visits to her home in northern Michigan and training with explosive devices.

The alleged plot involved conspirators who met during a Second Amendment rally at the Capitol in Lansing in June and reached out to members of a Michigan militia known as the Wolverine Watchmen for reinforcements, according to state and federal officials. 

The court filing alleges the conspirators twice conducted surveillance at Whitmer's personal vacation home in northern Michigan and discussed kidnapping her to a "secure location" in Wisconsin to stand "trial" for treason prior to the Nov. 3 election.

"Several members talked about murdering 'tyrants' or 'taking' a sitting governor," an FBI agent wrote in the affidavit. "The group decided they needed to increase their numbers and encouraged each other to talk to their neighbors and spread their message."

After the charges were revealed, Whitmer slammed President Donald Trump for failing to condemn in strong enough terms hate groups such as the far-right Proud Boys, whom he told to "stand back and stand by" during the debate last week. 

"Hate groups heard the president's words not as a rebuke, but as a rallying cry, a call to action," the Democratic governor said. 

Indeed, it was President Trump who not only infamously tweeted, "LIBERATE MICHIGAN!", but demanded that Whitmer "make a deal" with armed protesters. Some of these armed protesters are now facing state and federal terrorism charges. In other words, Trump wanted Whitmer to negotiate with terrorists. Well, it's something Trump knows about given how he has cozied up to the Taliban.

So if Trump should decide he wants to take part in another debate and rails against "anarchists" and "looters" all Joe Biden needs to do remind voters that a few Trump supporters wanted to kidnap a sitting Governor and have now been charged with terrorism. 

Today's developments are yet another reminder that we are not safe in Donald Trump's America.

Five Fly By Observations of the VP Debate Between Harris & Pence

Like millions of Americans, I watched the VP debate between VP Mike Pence and Senator Kamala Harris which took place in Salt Lake City and here are five fly by observations.

1. There was a frickin' fly that landed on Vice-President Pence's head and look liked it was going to nest on his political corpse. In four years from now, indeed perhaps four days from now, this will be the only thing that is remembered from this debate.

2. Vice President Pence has a remarkable propensity to utter bullshit with a straight face. Of course, he's not the first politician to do so and he won't be the last. It's a problem when no one other than those who attend Trump super spreader rallies are going to believe a word of it. To wit.

Who in America believes Pence when he says President Trump put the health of Americans first?

Who in America believes Pence when he says Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are playing politics with peoples' lives?

Who in America believes Pence when he says President Trump believes in the sanctity of life when 211,753 people (and counting) have died of a deadly disease this year?

Who in America believes Pence when he says and Trump are going to win this election down nearly double digits in the polls? Yes, I know everybody has 2016 in the back of our collective mind. But if the deaths of 211,000 Americans (and counting) doesn't cost Trump the presidency then nothing will. 

3. Vice President Pence also has a remarkable propensity to not answer questions put before him. Again, he's not the first politician to do so and he won't be the last. But some politicians can get away with it. Pence is all too obvious. When asked about health care, Pence pivoted to fracking and fossil fuels. When asked about climate change, Pence pivoted to trade. When asked about abortion, Pence pivoted to the Iran nuclear deal. When asked about President Trump's unwillingness to commit to a peaceful transfer of power, Pence pivoted to Biden and Harris packing the Supreme Court. I don't think Pence helped himself much less President Trump in this regard.

4. Vice President Pence went mini-Trump and claimed that Obama and Biden had the FBI spy on Trump's campaign and "creating a mail in voting system full of fraud" - a mail in voting system which has been around since the Civil War.

Pence also did not help himself when he repeatedly interrupted Harris much to Harris' obvious annoyance and many female viewers. The Vice-President was equally disrespectful towards moderator Susan Page of USA Today. An old female friend of mine who has some fairly conservative views messaged me on Facebook to tell me she found Pence completely unappealing. Let me put it another way. Mike Pence might be the first person to catch more flies with vinegar than honey.

5. My critique of Pence notwithstanding there were some missed opportunities for Senator Harris. When Pence spoke about China regarding COVID-19, she could have reminded the country that Trump praised President Xi for being open and transparent concerning the COVID outbreak in Wuhan. When Pence claimed the Obama Administration's to 2009-2010 H1NI flu was worse than the Trump Administration's to COVID-19, she should have said that 12,500 deaths is less than 211,000 deaths (and counting). When Pence spoked about the urgency of the Senate confirming Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, Harris could have spoken about the urgency of the Senate passing a new COVID stimulus bill and Trump's refusal to sign one until after election. 

However, as the debate wore on, Harris put Pence on the defensive where it concerned his taxes, his degradation of our soldiers, Russian bounties on American troops, losing the trade war with China and Trump's failure to condemn white supremacy. Harris finished the debate strong and did nothing to harm herself.

There is no question Pence is loyal to Trump. I'd go far as to say that Pence is more loyal to Trump than he is to the Constitution. But I can't imagine Trump is very happy with Pence tonight.

It Pains Me To See What's Happening in Brooklyn Re: The Orthodox Jewish Community & COVID-19

It pains me to see what's happening in Brooklyn (particularly in the neighborhood of Borough Park) regarding the Orthodox Jewish community with the response of some its members with regard to newly implemented COVID-19 restrictions by Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo. 

In response to measures which have once shuttered synagogues and religious schools, Orthodox Jewish protesters took to the streets and burned masks and assaulted a fellow Jew seriously enough that he required hospitalization. 

Now I understand the Orthodox Jewish community feeling unfairly singled out. After all, it was only this past April when Mayor de Blasio saw fit to call out New York's Jewish community as a whole regarding COVID-19 using the incendiary language of "the time for warnings has passed."  Quite shameful considering how the Orthodox Jewish community has donated blood plasma in large numbers in order to fight COVID-19.

As for Governor Cuomo it would appear gave them assurances they could operate at 50% capacity only to adopt far more severe restrictions than had been communicated especially as this week marks Sukkot festivities - a sort of Jewish Thanksgiving if you will. Agudath Israel is reportedly considering challenging Cuomo's edict in court. 

By all means, Orthodox Jewish congregations should feel free to seek legal action especially if they can demonstrate that Cuomo told them they could do one thing and then did something else instead or has otherwise overstepped his bounds. They should also feel free to peacefully protest as Black Lives Matter would. However, refusing to wear masks, setting masks afire and committing wanton assault with bodily injury are not peaceful protest. Those are wrong acts whether they be committed by Jews or non-Jews.

What I fear as a result of this is a resurgence of attacks against Orthodox Jews in Brooklyn as well as the fatal attacks in Monsey, New York and Jersey City, New Jersey late last year culminating in a March and Rally Against Anti-Semitism in early January. Those who hate Jews need little excuse in carrying out acts of hate leading to injury and death. 

It also pains me to see a critical mass within the Orthodox Jewish community not take COVID-19 seriously. Sukkot commemorates the 40 years Jews wandered the deserts of Egypt and the protection God gave them in their journey. How can one observe a holiday about survival if the observation is done in such a way as to sicken or kill your loved ones?

Now it's true that a critical mass of the United States at large does not take COVID-19 seriously as demonstrated by any rally for President Trump. I guess I just expect more of my fellow Jews - Orthodox or otherwise.

U.S. Surpasses 7.5 Million COVID-19 Cases Amid Trump White House Outbreak

The United States has now surpassed 7.5 million COVID-19 cases. According to Johns Hopkins University, 7,500,964 Americans have tested positive for COVID-19 resulting in more than 210,000 fatalities (210,886) for a fatality rate of 2.8%.

This tally comes amid a COVID breakout in the White House and close Republican allies which has afflicted the following people:

President Trump

First Lady Melania Trump

Hope Hicks

Kellyanne Conway

Senator Mike Lee

Senator Thom Tillis

Senator Ron Johnson

Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany

Stephen Miller

I would be very shocked if we don't soon add Trump's attorney (and former New York City Mayor) Rudy Giuliani who coughed his way through an interview whilst attacking Joe Biden for responsibly wearing a mask.

The outbreak has also afflicted members of the White House Press Corps and presents a risk to custodians, ushers, kitchen staff and members of the U.S. Secret Service now that Trump has returned to the White House after three nights at Walter Reed Medical Center without any attempt at contact tracing following the now infamous Rose Garden ceremony introducing Supreme Court justice nominee Amy Coney Barrett late last month. At least, contact tracing was done after the Trump family and team's reckless behavior at last week's first presidential debate in Cleveland.

If that wasn't bad enough the entire U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staffs for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Space Force and U.S. Cyber Command have gone into quarantine after a top Coast Guard official tested positive for COVID-19.

Of course, the vast majority of the 7.5 million Americans who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 are not a part of President Trump's orbit. But they should be as many of them saw fit to vote for Donald Trump four years ago. Trump has given little reason to those they have left behind to give him a lifeline denied to their loved ones. 

A COVID-19 case toll of 7.5 million and counting is a stain on the Trump presidency. A COVID-19 outbreak taking place at the White House and Republican circles less than four weeks prior the presidential election is bound the erode the last possible shred of public confidence the Trump Administration has left. One can only hope Vice President Mike Pence (the ostensible head of the White House Coronavirus Task Force) will have much to answer for from Kamala Harris on Wednesday night. In which case, Pence might need something stronger than plexiglass to protect him from Harris' righteous indignation and ire.