Jannik goes back to back at the Championships, Wimbledon, All Star home run derby and game forecasts; World Cup Semifinal picks. Brief Preview of the 154th Open Championship

The great 24 year old champion Jannik Sinner of Italy just put another notch in his championship career after capturing his second Wimbledon Championship in a row with a 6-7 (7-9), 7-6 (7-2), 6-3, 6-4 victory over 29 year old German Alexander Zverev. It was a nice effort by Zverev, but the elite Sinner proved to the world he’s here to stay once again. Sinner will be 25 on August 16th, two days after my oldest daughter’s 31st birthday (I’m getting older). The 139th edition of Wimbledon didn’t disappoint after the somewhat catastrophic French Open in late May/early June. Sinner’s first serve was excellent. His forehand is getting better, maybe not as sharp as usual, but his backhand was super and he started figuring things out with his forehand as the tournament progressed.

Maybe one of the best sportsmanship moves I’ve seen in quite a while was when Zverev fell in the third set after the two players had split the first two sets and were tied 3-3. Sinner came across the net to help Alexander up. He’s a total class act. He’s a warrior as a competitor, but also a kind, gentle guy. Really like this guy. The future looks electric for Jannik. Jannik’s been fortunate that Carlos Alcarz broke his wrist before the French and was unable to play Wimbledon. Carlos also missed the French, but Jannik struggled with the heat in Paris and lost in the second round to world No.56 Juan Manuel Cerundolo. He had a 2 set lead but fell to the heat. There were a lot of people doubting him, but not his coach Darren “Killer” Cahill, his team, and my wife! She’s passionate about tennis and loves Jannik. I love the guy, too. It’ll be awesome when Carlos returns and we can get that rivalry renewed. Jannik said in the press conference tennis needs Carlos back. Carlos is undetermined whether he’ll be back for the US Open, but everybody is very hopeful he will return. Novak is still a factor, though it’s getting harder and harder for him to get through Sinner and Alcaraz. Zverev has come on winning the French and putting forth an awesome effort at Wimbledon. Should be a classic 146th edition of the US Open at Flushing Meadows in the City. That phenomenal Major starts Monday, August 31st.

And Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic beat fellow countrywoman Karolina Muchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-3. Noskova is 21 and with a high level future.

Home Run Derby

There are 8 competitors in the Home Run Derby today as the superb prelim event to the All Star game commences at Citizen’s Bank Ballpark in Philly. Netflix will cover with first pitch at 7 P.M. CT/ 8 ET.

The 8 competitors in alphabetical order are: 1. Jac Caglianone, KC Royals. He’s hitting .260 with 15 homers and 35 Ribeyes. He caused me a lot of headaches when he played at Florida against Vanderbilt. Needed my “Excedrin.” 2. Junior Caminero, Tampa Bay Rays. Junior has hit 28 long balls and driven in 59. He’s batting .279. Junior is an absolute stud, and has a real shot today, albeit against a loaded field. I’m a big Rays fan as they drafted my Vanderbilt pitcher David Price first overall in 2007. David had some really nice years at Tampa and won a World Series as a key member of the 2018 Red Sox. I’ve been a Rays fan ever since David was there. Junior is electric. 3.Wilson Contreras. BoSox. I had a math teacher in high school who was a passionate Red Sox fan. In his “Baastan” accent he would talk about “going to Fenway, drinking a Schaffuh Beir and watching duh Sox.” Contreras is hitting .285 with 20 homers and 61 Ribbies. The Sox are a team to watch in the AL in the second half. After a very tough start to their season, which led to the firing of managerAlex Cora, they have now won 9 in a row at the break. They are 46-48 and 10 back of the Rays and 7 back of the Yankees in the AL East, but they are just a half game back of the Seattle Mariners in the AL Wild Card race. Should be a riveting second half. My Vandy man, Sonny Gray, who will be pitching for the AL in the All Star Game, is 11-1, with a 2.54 ERA and 1.10 WHIP (walks plus hits per innings pitched). He’s making a run at the AL Cy Young if he can keep “matriculating” and the Red Sox keep surging.

4. Bryce Harper, Phils, .260, 20, 57 RBIs. Harper is always a factor, though my son in law, a Philly native, calls him a disappointment for them. I kind of agree with him. You would think Harper might lead the Phils to a World Series championship by now. He doesn’t hit for great average. 5. Munetaka Murikami, ChiSox. Don’t know a lot about the 26 year old Japanese player, but the White Sox are vastly improved this season and are tied for the AL Central lead with the Guardians at 50-45. The Guardians are 51-46. He’s hitting .232, not so swift, but has launched 20 homers and thrown in 42 Ribbies. 6. Ben Rice, Yankees. Hitting .279 with 29 homers and 68 RBIs. When I picked the Braves over the Yankees in my preseason MLB predictions and picked Matt Olson of the Braves to be the Fall Classic MVP, a friend of mine, whom I went to high school and college with, and who lived in New York for a while, wrote me an email and said, “Eddie, I agree with you, except the Yankees are going to win the World Series and Ben Rice is going to be the Fall Classic MVP!” Eddie was a nickname I acquired in college. It had to do with me dressing up as Eddie Munster at the Phi Delta Theta Halloween Party when I was a freshman, and Van Wadlington, my friend who’s a Neuroradiologist in Birmingham now, dressed up as Herman putting a couple of 2 by 4’s under a pair of boots. He was already 6’5″. He was 7’4″, as Herman. He had the laugh down to a T. We were both green. He had a few too many on Halloween Night and woke up under a swing set in a park that Saturday morning with some children running away saying, “Mommy, mommy, Herman Munster is dead!” Classic stuff from Wad.

No.7, Kyle Schwarber, Phillies. Schwarber doesn’t ‘t hit for a great average, but does he ever pound the ball. He’s hit 32 jacks and added 59 Ribeyes. He’s a power machine. The Braves are 55-40 and leading the NL East right now, but the Phillies are 54-43 and 2 back. The astonishing story in the NL is the Miami Marlins. They are 52-45 and 4 back of the Braves. The lowest budget team in baseball. The Rays are 28th out of 30 and they’re leading the AL East at 56-38. That’s superb stuff from teams that have to be judicious with their finances. You gotta be smart to compete with the Dodgers, Yankees and others, who have the massive payrolls. The Dodgers are around $320 million this year. Insane. The Yankees aren ‘t far behind. No.8, Jordan Walker, Cards. Walker is hitting .294 with 22 home runs and 74 Ribbies. The Cardinals are 50-45 and 8 1/2 back of the 59-37 Brewers in the NL Central. The Cubs are 54-42, and 5 back of the Brews. The Cards are 1 back in the NL Wild Card. This young stud is excelling.

Winner

Junior Caminero, Rays.

All Star Game Prediction

FOX will televise starting at 7 P.M. CT/8 East. I’m going to take the Senior Circuit this year.

NL 6, AL 5

MVP, Drake Baldwin, catcher for the Braves.

Having a really fine year for “the Atlanta team” as the great Skip Caray used to say. I saw Skip and Harry in the mid 80’s in a restaurant in Atlanta after a Bravos game. We were all partaking a little, and I asked Skip about Pascual Perez, who had missed his start recently because he got lost on I-285. Skip said, “He’s been having some nasal problems.”

World Cup predictions

Tuesday, 2 P.M. CT/3 P.M. East, FOX

Spain 2, France 1, Extra Time, Overtime. France favored by a goal. Over/under is 2 1/2 goals.

Like “La Roja” over “Les Blue.” As Joseph said last week on my quarterfinals predictions’ blog, the Spain defense hadn’t given up a goal all tournament. They defeated Belgium 2-1 giving up their first goal. Defense wins most championships.

Wednesday, 2 P.M. CT/3 East, FOX

England 3, Argentina 2. Extra time. England by a 1/2 goal. Over/Under 2 1/2.

Seems like the over/under is usually 2 1/2 in this World Cup. I’ll take Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and the Three Lions side over the defending World Cup Champs from 2022. Messi and company won’t go down without a fight though.

Record so Far: SU-4-0, ATS-2-2, O/U-1-3.

Finally, the 154th Open Championship commences Thursday at Royal Birkdale in Southport England. The last time it was played there in 2017, Jordan Spieth won it. It’s been a long, hard road for him ever since then. Tom Kim won the Genesis Scottish Open yesterday and is the hottest golfer right now. He shot a 64 on Sunday, and so did Rory. Rory looking strong. He’s such a good putter now from seven feet and in. That’s made a tremendous difference in his game. Scottie Scheffler is an enigma to me right now. Just not getting it done in the clutch. He’s the opposite of Rory. His putter is as “cold as ice,” as Foreigner once said. Guys like Xander Schauffele, Min Woo Lee and his hideous mustache, Fitzie, Morikawa, and several others are in the mix. Should be epic. Will have full preview on Wednesday. Have a good evening.