By Ron Wynn Even though there’s no MLB currently happening, the big leagues are moving ahead with plans to trim 40 minor league teams. At first it was thought there was no way this could happen, but now reports of meetings in the last couple of weeks between officials of MLB and those in MLiB (Minor League Baseball) indicate that the plan will move forward.There will be a new working agreement and the 120 remaining teams will be affiliated in a new version of joint minor leagues. According to a report in Baseball America, the current Player Development Contract is…
Author: Ron Wynn
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — The Titans made news two ways last week, one in terms of their 2020 opponents (assuming there is an NFL season this year), and the other regarding a significant personnel move. Their official 2020 schedule won’t be released until this week, but the breakdown of home and road games was made available on multiple websites. Then the team announced they were not picking up the option on wide receiver Corey Davis. The former first round draft choice and fifth overall player taken in the 2017 draft will become an unrestricted free agent in 2021.…
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred continues to publicly declare there will be a 2020 baseball season in some form and shape. He repeated that assertion last week, while news of a possible new plan to get some sort of year done was unveiled. If the proposed plan is implemented it would result in an even more radical change for the sport than going to divisional play and implementing a wild card system. This proposal, which would only be for the 2020 season, would eliminate the traditional National and American Leagues. According to a USA Today report, this plan would instead group…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — The Nashville Predators aren’t currently playing any games due to the NHL season being suspended because of the Coronavirus/COVIC-19 pandemic, but area hockey fans will get a chance over the next few weeks to recall their greatest triumphs. Fox Sports Tennessee is airing over a seven-week period the 14 games that the team won during the spring of 2017 on the way to the Stanley Cup Final. It’s part of the networks’Golden Classic series, and they will air on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The broadcasts began Tuesday with the opening victory in the Predators’ sweep…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — The Tennessee Titans went for offense rather than defense with their first round pick Thursday, selecting Georgia’s Isaiah Wilson with their first round pick. He’s being envisioned as the replacement at right tackle for Jack Conklin, who departed for the Cleveland Browns in free agency. He was the 29th overall pick. While the Titans also have Dennis Kelly for offensive line depth, Wilson is considered a potential star. He was one of some 15 former SEC players chosen in the early draft founds. They then addressed a defensive need in the second round with…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Vandy coach Jerry Stackhouse had hoped to get some solid contributions from forward Clevon Brown this past season, and things started fairly well. Brown was averaging nine points and six rebounds through nine games, but then suffered a knee injury that ultimately ended his year. Fortunately, Brown now gets a chance to improve on those figures as he’ll be returning for another season. The senior was granted an extra year of eligibility last week by the NCAA because he played in fewer than 30 percent of the Commodores games. He’ll officially be designated as…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — The majority of predictions being made regarding the Titans’ picks in this week’s upcoming draft are they will look to strengthen their defense. There is general agreement that they need to improve the pass rush, both from the standpoint of the line and linebacker corps. There’s also some who feel the Titans may go for a defensive back with their first pick, which is at 29. A longshot would be an offensive lineman, at least in the first two rounds. Unfortunately, it seems Logan Ryan is departing, so a cornerback’s a very good first…
By Ron Wynn With the NFL draft set for next week, the Tennessee Titans are still trying to decide which players to extend and which ones to let go or allow to reach the end of their current contracts in the wake of last season’s surge to the AFC title game.They locked up star safety Kevin Byard and center Ben Jones last year to prevent them from becoming free agents. But this season they let right tackle Jack Conklin sign with Cleveland, and negotiations have stalled with cornerback Logan Ryan. So now all eyes are on a handful of notable…
By Ron Wynn There’s a lot of doubt regarding not when, but if, there will be a baseball season in 2020 at both the major and minor league levels. But in the meantime, while awaiting news about a starting date, the Nashville Sounds last week began a series of virtual baseball games to replicate the experience of at least seeing the sport for those fans willing and anxious to get any kind of sporting presentation. The campaign is being called “Safe and Sounds At Home,” and it’s going to continue until actual baseball returns to First Horizon Park. “During this…
By Ron Wynn The Vanderbilt Commodores hope to continue turning things around next basketball season. Last Thursday they landed the biggest recruit of current Jerry Stackhouse’s tenure, signing Tyrin Lawrence, the number one ranked player in the state of Georgia. Lawrence is a six foot, three-inch guard equally able to play either the point or shooting guard position. He picked the Commodores over a host of other schools, including fellow SEC opponent Ole Miss, rated as well as Gonzaga and Kansas State. He spent the past season at the Kansas prep school Sunrise Christian. He is rated a four star…