Sports Time Radio

It’s that time of the year where we are just flushed with sports. The Major League Baseball playoffs are into the divisional series. The National Football League season is moving along as well as the college football season. Just last night the National Hockey League started their season with three games.

In the first game the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Nashville Predators 5-3. In the second game the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2 and in the third and final game of the night the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Seattle Kraken 4-1.

Of course, the interest in the area where I live was the debut of Connor Bedard. He was the #1 pick in this past draft and there’s a lot of pressure on him to lead the Blackhawks back into Stanley Cup contention. There was even a betting line on if Bedard would score the first Blackhawks goal. Now Bedard didn’t end up getting a goal at all, but he did get an assist on the Blackhawks first goal.

Bedard had the most ice time of any of the Blackhawks forwards at 21 minutes and 29 seconds. That was the second highest total of ice time on the team behind only defenseman Seth Jones who was on the ice for 25 minutes and 28 seconds. Besides the one assist Bedard had 5 shots on goal.

With the exception of not getting that first goal it was a solid all-around game for Bedard. About the only negative you could have been that he lost 11 of the 13 faceoffs he was involved in. You have to think that’s something he’ll improve on the more he faces NHL competition.

While Bedard’s debut and the Blackhawks might’ve been the big story where I live the other sports story that should catch your eye is what the Texas Rangers did.

The Baltimore Orioles hadn’t been swept in a series in about a year and a half, but the Rangers took the Orioles right out of the American League playoffs by winning three straight games. The Rangers sent the Orioles home with a 7-1 win in Game 3 last night.

This brings me to an interesting question about the MLB playoffs. Why aren’t the teams re-seeded after the wild card round.

I don’t believe that it would’ve changed the match ups in the American League, but the National League match ups would be the complete opposite of what they are.

The Atlanta Braves had the best record in Major League Baseball, but somehow, they ended up being matched up against the #1 wild card team in the divisional series. How is that a benefit of having the best record? You’d think that the Braves would’ve had to face the Arizona Diamondbacks who were the actually the final National League wild card team.

I’m sure if Major League Baseball actually answered this question, they’d say something to the effect of the fact that the Braves have home field advantage, but shouldn’t they have that and the better match up.

Of course, it’s possible that the way this ended up shaking out will work out for the Braves. The Diamondbacks might be playing the best baseball out of all of the playoff team and currently lead the Los Angeles Dodgers two games to none in their National League division series. The Braves are currently even in their series with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Of course, will have to see how each series plays out, but Arizona has a chance to end their series with the Dodgers tonight at home while the Braves and the Phillies will try to win game three to take a lead in that series.

We also have game four of the American League division series between the Minnesota Twins and the Houston Astros. The Astros are leading that series two games to one and they’ll look to close out that series tonight while the Twins will try to stretch it to a make-or-break game five.

Jump in here and let me know what you think of the way Major League Baseball set up the divisional round. Should they have re-seeded? Or do you think it’s okay this way?

Remember to look for me on X, I’m @Burketime.