Passed Ball Show #579 (11/22/2021)

Passed Ball Show

11-22-2021 Passed Ball Show. John opens up this show by talking about the fallout from the incident during the Detroit Pistons/ Los Angeles Lakers game the day before. He defends LeBron James, who he says deserved to be ejected and likely suspended for striking Isaiah Stewart during a scrum after a foul shot. While James should be held accountable, John states the contact was not deliberate and Stewart's actions following the incident are inexcusable. Prior to this game, few non-Pistons/ University of Washington fans had any idea who Isaiah Stewart and sadly, this moment will be what he will forever be remembered for. John also thinks Stewart will regret the mockery he made during this game, as justifiably mad as he was. Finally, John states that LeBron James, unlike great NBA players before him, has to deal with haters that will use everything that happens with the intent to discredit him. John then talks about how Baker Mayfield should not have been on the field during the team's victory over the Detroit Lions. He is clearly compromised, and even so, did not present himself well during this particular game. John believes he was playing to better position himself for his next contract extension, but he feels he is better off resting, definitely during this game against the Lions where they could have won without him. John next brings up the New York Yankees and makes it clear that there is no longer an armored car full of money for the Yankees to spend in the offseason and reiterates his earlier points that Hal Steinbrenner is (and will) forc(ing) General Manager Brian Cashman to be more creative when it comes to the team's plan. Does it mean the team is out on the major free agent pieces? John says maybe and he certainly does not predict a Mark Teixeira/ CC Sabathia/ AJ Burnett type of offseason ala 2008