Sports

(Editor’s note: This is excerpted from Mike Sando’s Pick Six of Sept. 30, 2024.)

Are the Jets heading down the same road the Packers took late in Mike McCarthy’s tenure?

Facing third-and-10 with 1:53 remaining in a game his Jets trailed 10-9, 40-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers fired a back-shoulder throw up the left sideline toward Xavier Gipson, a 23-year-old who entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent. Gipson kept running up the sideline. Rodgers’ pass sailed behind Gipson, falling incomplete out of bounds.

This play in a critical moment recalled the disconnect between Rodgers and some of his much younger, much less experienced teammates toward the end of the quarterback’s run in Green Bay. As a former Rodgers-era Green Bay coach would later say, “Aaron was so good at the line of scrimmage, he wanted to be in that mode all the time, but it can stress the other 10 guys, especially if you have a young team.”

A similar conflict flashed after the Jets lost Sunday. Coach Robert Saleh — citing 13 penalties for 90 yards, including five false starts — suggested the Jets might not be ready to handle Rodgers’ various cadences. Rodgers pushed back, suggesting his cadence has been a weapon, not a problem, for the Jets before Sunday.

Robert Saleh talks about the cadence on offense and how that has been a problem in regards to penalties for the Jets pre-snap pic.twitter.com/WQJCLHGi3Z

— Jets Videos (@snyjets) September 29, 2024

Aaron Rodgers seems to get annoyed when asked about Robert Saleh’s comments about dialing back the cadence on offense. “That’s one way to do it. The other way is to hold them accountable.” 😳#Jets pic.twitter.com/PUbM2WvCsK

— Optimistic Jets (@OptimisticJets) September 29, 2024

The Jets have a mix of young and old on offense. Their starters Sunday: Rodgers (40), tackle Tyron Smith (33), tight end Tyler Conklin (29), receiver Allen Lazard (28), guard John Simpson (27), guard Alijah Vera-Tucker (25), tight end Jeremy Ruckert (24), receiver Garrett Wilson (24), center Joe Tippmann (23), running back Breece Hall (23) and tackle Olu Fashanu (21).

None other than Lazard has played much with Rodgers, and it sometimes shows.

The Rodgers-era Packers seemed to find the right balance under Matt LaFleur. Do the Jets have the time, and the coaching, to do the same? Their offensive coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett, was with Rodgers and LaFleur from 2019 to 2021. The Jets’ offense flopped in its 10-9 defeat Sunday despite Rodgers delivering an array of impressive passes.

told ya!#DENvsNYJ on CBS & @paramountplus https://t.co/YUrMvkOybJ pic.twitter.com/NkyUsr9Sch

— New York Jets (@nyjets) September 29, 2024

The Jets’ offensive EPA for this game (minus-18.8) was the seventh-worst for any team with Rodgers in the lineup, ranking 243rd out of 249, counting Rodgers’ Green Bay years. That was a huge swing from the Jets’ performance in their 24-3 victory over New England last week.

“The Jets at home blow out a rival who is not very good, and then they have 10 days to get ready for their next opponent, and they look like that?” a veteran coach said.

The chart below is an updated version of one published last week. It shows the Jets’ offense perking up with Rodgers initially, then falling back Sunday.

(Photo: Mike Stobe / Getty Images)

There was a bleak feel to the spectacle at Old Trafford as Erik ten Hag and his players walked around the pitch amid pouring rain to applaud fans who had remained in the stands to the final whistle. Those few hundred in the Stretford End kept singing, even though there was not much to sing about; the tone not so much defiance as obligation.

Alejandro Garnacho, Lisandro Martinez and Andre Onana were among the last to go down the tunnel. Thoughts must have been whirring in their minds about how quickly Manchester United have plunged into turmoil already this season and what needs to change to engineer a turnaround.

There was nothing particularly unusual in the dressing room afterwards. Just a determination to “reset”, starting in the Europa League game at Porto on Thursday, with Ten Hag telling his players there is “always a new day”.

But, inevitably, focus will fall on whether Ten Hag has the ability to bring sunlight to that new day because this was a dark occasion, a second 3-0 defeat in as many Premier League home matches, having played one of the worst halves of football in recent memory in the opening period.

Afterwards, Ten Hag said he was not thinking about being scrutinized for his job. “We all made in togetherness this decision in the summer to stay together,” he said, in reference to the review which saw United interview other candidates for his position, such as Thomas Tuchel and Roberto De Zerbi, only to decide to stick with him.

“We made the decision, after a clear review, what we have to improve as an organisation and how to construct a squad. All decisions made in togetherness, also knowing it would take some time given how the window went. We are all there on one page, one boat, the ownership, the leadership group, the staff, the players, too.”

United’s shambolic first half was greeted by stony faces in a directors’ box that included INEOS sporting director Sir Dave Brailsford and United’s CEO Omar Berrada, sporting director Dan Ashworth and technical director Jason Wilcox.

United’s hierarchy including (from left, second row up) Sir Dave Brailsford, Omar Berrada, Dan Ashworth and Jason Wilcox (Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Privately, those in charge are echoing Ten Hag’s sentiments — that altering the infrastructure and working practices at the club was the main priority when INEOS arrived and patience is required to allow that to bed in and see results. Berrada and Ashworth only went public unequivocally backing Ten Hag at the start of this month, so changing course now would be a volte-face and out of keeping for executives who like to be driven by a methodical process.

Another consideration is that Ten Hag was allowed to pick his own coaches, including Ruud van Nistelrooy, and have an influence on signings.

Likewise, the managerial landscape has not changed much from that period in May and June when those in charge at United scoured the market for possible replacements, ultimately deciding on Ten Hag. Gareth Southgate is now available having left his role with England and has links to Ashworth and Brailsford, but that is as far as it goes on him.

The pressure is sure to build on the decision-makers, however, should Porto and Sunday’s trip to Aston Villa provide more of the same, especially as another international break is looming. Gary Neville and Ashley Young, two former United captains, suggested on Sky Sports that the players should have a meeting without Ten Hag to decide how to proceed. That is the kind of media conjecture that will fill the narrative unless results improve dramatically.

“We started the game very poor after we conceded a goal like we did when a centre-half (Micky van de Ven) is crossing the whole pitch, then we were very stressful in the game, we didn’t find spare man in the switch, couldn’t keep the ball, not aggressive enough in third-man actions, we didn’t get the press right,” Ten Hag accepted.

Such mental fragility is alarming, raising the question of whether it is an individual thing or a lack of confidence in the team strategy.

The red card for Bruno Fernandes had a bearing on the contest, but Tottenham were already slicing through United at will when it was 11 versus 11. Spurs were good, but United were very bad. Their press was disjointed, attempts to pass out from the back were fraught as gaps opened in midfield again, and simply finding a team-mate with the ball seemed an alien concept for several players.

More than once, the ball dribbled out into touch from the boot of a United player trying to get a move going. Those that did find a red shirt were often off target. In one counter-attack before the interval, Joshua Zirkzee laid off to Marcus Rashford but put the ball behind his run. All Rashford could do was pivot and slam a return pass into a Spurs defender. He showed his frustration by flapping his arms.

United’s first-half passing accuracy was 76 per cent, the lowest in a first half in the Premier League this season.

United also dawdled in defence, at one point Matthijs de Ligt turning on the ball only to find Dominic Solanke. On another occasion, Diogo Dalot tried to take an extra touch but found Brennan Johnson on him to start an attack that led to a James Maddison shot.

Then there was the Spurs goal, coming in the third minute. Van de Ven took up the FC Twente blueprint by seizing the ball and running straight at United. To have conceded such a goal once is embarrassing; to do so twice in two games is a dereliction.

It is in that context that Fernandes made his foul. He slipped but still flicked his studs out at Maddison’s shin before drawing them away. It was a harsh red card, but there looked to be an element of irritation involved at Maddison dictating the midfield action. (Fernandes later asked to do post-match media instead of Onana to put his side across and accept responsibility.)

Fernandes brings down Maddison to earn a red card (Michael Regan/Getty Images)

United were imploding at that stage, with Kobbie Mainoo also going off at the same moment, appearing to suggest to Casemiro and Antony on the sidelines that he had hurt his hamstring. United’s discipline eroded, with yellow cards for Mason Mount clattering Rodrigo Bentancur, Martinez scything Maddison, and Manuel Ugarte barging over Dejan Kulusevski.

Ten Hag has overseen just six wins in 19 Premier League games dating back to last season, while United’s tally of seven points is their joint-fewest after six games of a campaign (the same record in both 2013-14 and 2020-21).

Only in 2007-08 (four) have United scored fewer goals through their first six Premier League games than the five they have this term, although they did finish that season with a double of Premier League and Champions League titles.

A more concerning omen comes from United losing consecutive Premier League matches without scoring at Old Trafford for the first time since November 2021 (0-5 v Liverpool and 0-2 v Manchester City). Those were the last two home games for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in charge of the club.

Ten Hag will hope that is not an ill omen for his own tenure.

(Top photo: Carl Recine/Getty Images)

And now, 20 thoughts from college football’s Week 5, where, if you blinked, you missed a 75-yard touchdown.

1. I keep waiting for college football to go the way of BlackBerry and Blockbuster as so many have predicted. But this weird thing keeps happening. When these teams full of amazing athletes step onto the field and play each other, it’s as if they don’t realize NIL deals and a bigger College Football Playoff are ruining the sport.

Instead, they give us classics like No. 4 Alabama 41, No. 2 Georgia 34.

2. Few could have seen Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs, winners of 42 consecutive regular-season games, going to Tuscaloosa and falling behind 30-7 at halftime. But once that happened, even fewer could imagine Georgia quarterback Carson Beck morphing into Patrick Mahomes in the fourth quarter and putting the Bulldogs on top, 34-33. Of course, Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe, who produced nearly 500 yards of offense himself, needed only one play to reclaim the lead. He went deep to super freshman Ryan Williams, who caught, spun and ran for a 75-yard touchdown. And then another freshman, cornerback Zabien Brown, picked off Beck in the end zone to seal the win for Alabama.

PANDEMONIUM IN BRYANT-DENNY STADIUM 🤯

Georgia scored 19 unanswered points to take its first lead of the game with 2:34 left in the fourth.

Then Jalen Milroe answers with a 75-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Williams.

🎥 @AlabamaFTBLpic.twitter.com/hrLKHtwziA

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) September 29, 2024

It’s hard to say what the loss means for Georgia (3-1, 1-1 SEC), which showed troubling signs on offense and defense during that disastrous first half, then completely flipped itself after halftime. Beck finished with a career-high 439 passing yards, but he also committed four turnovers. Smart, who is somehow now 1-6 against the Tide, has some issues to figure out, especially before his team’s Oct. 19 trip to No. 1 Texas.

But I know exactly what it means for Alabama.

3. In his warp-speed search last January to hire Nick Saban’s successor, Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne pursued two candidates: Florida State’s Mike Norvell and Washington’s Kalen DeBoer. Eight months later, Norvell is presiding over a 1-4 FSU team that just lost 42-16 to SMU. DeBoer just beat the No. 2 team in the country and is now 29-3 as a Power-conference coach.

Milroe, who had an up-and-down first season as the starter under former offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, is thriving in the creative, explosive offense that helped Washington reach the national title game last season. He’s helped, no doubt, by the arrival of Williams (six catches, 177 yards) but also by OC Nick Sheridan’s play calling. The Tide’s second touchdown came when running back Jam Miller went into motion just before the snap, then beat his defender to the corner on a wheel route.

DeBoer and Sheridan went too conservative in the second half, helping Georgia get back in it. But as soon as Alabama fell behind, they went right to a deep ball straight out of the Michael Penix Jr.-to-Rome Odunze playbook.

Bama fans should be feeling giddy about their new Ball Coach.

GO DEEPER

Alabama is Kalen DeBoer’s program now, and it’s not going away

4. Mark Stoops is already the winningest coach in Kentucky history, but he’s never enjoyed a bigger victory than Saturday’s 20-17 escape at No. 6 Ole Miss. The Wildcats, staring down the barrel of a potential 2-3 start, earned the program’s highest-ranked road win since 1977. Stoops has himself quite a defense. Two weeks ago, it held then-No. 1 Georgia to 13 points. This time, it shut down a Rebels offense that averaged 55 points against four overmatched foes to start the season.

I wouldn’t count out Lane Kiffin’s team just yet. But after eight months of bravado about Ole Miss’ NIL war chest and upgraded roster, Rebels fans might be understandably frustrated with such an underwhelming performance.

“I’m gonna be sore tomorrow.” — Mark Stoops pic.twitter.com/JttSioSmZa

— KSR (@KSRonX) September 28, 2024

5. All Hugh Freeze wanted for Christmas was a quarterback who wouldn’t throw it to the other team, and for 56 minutes against Oklahoma, the Auburn coach got his wish. The Tigers were closing in on a 21-16 win. But wouldn’t you know it, Payton Thorne threw a 63-yard pick six to put the Sooners up 24-21, then got sacked three times on Auburn’s last two possessions. Five weeks in, the Tigers (2-3, 0-2 SEC) have already lost three Power 4 home games, while averaging 16.3 points in those contests.

It’s a much-needed win for Oklahoma (4-1, 1-1 SEC) coming off its humbling 25-15 home loss to Tennessee. In his first career start, freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. broke a 48-yard touchdown run and completed a 60-yard pass.

6. First, the officials in Friday night’s Virginia Tech-Miami game decided the Hokies had caught a game-winning Hail Mary despite a Miami defender running away with the ball. Then, after seven minutes, with what could hardly be considered “indisputable evidence,” replay officials overturned the call, handing the seventh-ranked Canes a 38-34 victory. If Miami (4-0, 1-0 ACC) winds up being a CFP bubble team, that decision could put it over the top.

I did not expect the Hokies (2-3, 0-1) to give the home team such a scare, but three Cam Ward turnovers led directly to 14 points, and Miami’s defense struggled to stop the run. The Canes live and die with their star quarterback, who threw for four touchdowns and ran for another to save the day.

GO DEEPER

Miami escaping Virginia Tech after overturned Hail Mary is progress — controversial or not

7. No. 13 USC (3-1, 1-1 Big Ten), trailing Wisconsin 21-10 at the half, turned around and outscored the Badgers 28-0 from there to win its first Big Ten home game, 38-21. Lincoln Riley’s team always seems to have a different receiver erupt with each game, and this week it was sophomore Ja’Kobi Lane, who had 10 catches for 105 yards and two TDs. Next up comes a very B1G October for the Trojans, who sandwich a home showdown against No. 9 Penn State with sizable trips east to face Minnesota and Maryland.

8. Like Alabama’s Williams, Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith looks like a pro in a freshman’s body. He had a 19-yard touchdown run and a one-handed catch he turned into a 17-yard score in the Buckeyes’ 38-3 win at Michigan State (3-2, 1-1). Their defense allowed just 246 yards, notched four sacks and forced three turnovers. No. 3 Ohio State (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) has yet to be tested, but could be over the next two weeks as it faces Iowa (OK, probably not), then visits a top-10 Oregon team.

OH MY. 😱

Jeremiah Smith is HIM.

📺 Peacock | @OhioStateFB pic.twitter.com/qA9KvH9WI4

— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) September 29, 2024

9. Penn State out-Bielema’d Bret Bielema in its 21-7 win over Illinois. The ninth-ranked Nittany Lions (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) dominated in the trenches on both sides, rushing for 239 yards on 44 attempts while holding the 19th-ranked Illini (4-1, 1-1) to just 34 yards on 32 attempts. It still took until late in the fourth quarter for Penn State to put the game away, due in part to two missed field goals and a failed fourth-and-3 conversion when it passed up a short field goal try. James Franklin may need to make a change at kicker. Sander Sahaydak is now 3-of-9 on field goals.

GO DEEPER

College Football Playoff 2024 projections: Alabama rising, Notre Dame back in bracket

10. It looks like the Big 12 race is going to flip itself on its head from one week to the next. Arizona (3-1, 1-0 Big 12) went to Salt Lake City and shut down No. 10 Utah, 23-10. The Utes (4-1, 1-1) had lost two home games in four years. But this was also their third straight game without quarterback Cam Rising, who just can’t stay healthy, and it’s clearly taking its toll. Isaac Wilson threw two picks, and the Utes ran for just 84 yards.

That doesn’t mean Utah can’t still win the Big 12. But so could Arizona. And so could…

11. No need for a Hail Mary or goal-line strip this week. Colorado (4-1, 2-0 Big 12) went to UCF and housed the Knights 48-21 for the most impressive performance of the two-year Deion Sanders era. UCF (3-1, 1-1) came in averaging 6.8 yards per rushing attempt, fourth-best nationally, but managed just 4.0 against CU’s much-improved defense. And Travis Hunter did his thing, catching nine passes for 89 yards and a TD and making a diving interception, after which he struck the Heisman pose. Hard to argue with him.

As of this moment, the top of the Big 12 is a three-way tie between the Buffs, BYU (5-0, 2-0) and Texas Tech (4-1, 2-0). Naturally.

TRAVIS HUNTER HITS THE HEISMAN POSE AFTER THE INTERCEPTION 🏆👀@CUBuffsFootball pic.twitter.com/Qc9W0pzJbM

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 28, 2024

12. Also striking a Heisman pose Saturday night: Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty, who went off in a 45-24 rout of Washington State to the tune of 259 yards and four touchdowns. The guy is incredible. On his first score, a 64-yard run, he shook off at least six tacklers before hitting the gas. On the third, a 59-yard run, it defied physics how he stayed upright all the way to the end zone.

In his four games in September, Jeanty averaged 211.3 yards and scored 13 touchdowns. He’s in a league of his own among running backs nationally.

GO DEEPER

Boise State’s win over Wazzu sets it up for Playoff — but league play still awaits

13. On Tuesday, UNLV starting quarterback Matthew Sluka abruptly left the team due to an alleged $100,000 NIL promise that never arrived. While we still don’t know whether that offer was ever real, we do now know the Rebels (4-0) will be OK without him. Sluka’s replacement, Campbell transfer Hajj-Malik Williams, ran for 119 yards and completed 13 of 16 passes for three touchdowns in a 59-14 rout of Fresno State (3-2). UNLV, which is 13-5 in two seasons under Barry Odom, had previously lost six straight meetings with the Bulldogs.

Programming alert: Boise State visits UNLV on Friday, Oct. 25. But before we get to that, the Rebels host a Friday night game against Syracuse this week.

14. No. 16 Notre Dame (4-1) still seems to be finding its way on offense, but it found enough Saturday to put down No. 15 Louisville 31-24. The Irish dug themselves an early hole, fumbling the opening kickoff to set up an easy touchdown for the Cardinals (3-1), then scored 21 first-quarter points … then went quiet for two-plus quarters. Quarterback Riley Leonard eventually delivered, hitting Jeremiyah Love for a 32-yard touchdown to go up 31-17, and the defense got a late stop. Leonard finished 17-of-23 passing for 163 yards and no picks, his most efficient performance of the season so far, though he’s yet to hit 200 yards passing in a game.

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15. It’s remarkable what an impact Curt Cignetti is having on Indiana football just five games into his tenure. The Hoosiers are 5-0 for the first time since 1967 after a 42-28 win over Maryland (3-2, 0-2 Big Ten). It also marks the program’s first five-game winning streak in 37 years. Despite throwing two interceptions, quarterback Kurtis Rourke led IU to its fourth straight 40-plus-point performance.

Granted, the Hoosiers’ schedule to date has been light (FIU, Western Illinois, at UCLA, Charlotte and Maryland), but let them enjoy this. The program has won as many as eight games only once in the last 30 years (2019).

16. Rutgers’ arduous, decade-long climb to Big Ten respectability hit a new milestone Friday night when the second-largest crowd in SHI Stadium history watched the Scarlet Knights down Big Ten newcomer Washington, 21-18. Rutgers, which won 26-23 at Virginia Tech six days earlier, is 4-0 for the first time since 2012 in the old Big East. Greg Schiano’s team got outgained 521-299 but got help in the form of several drive-killing Washington penalties and three missed field goals.

Rutgers relies heavily on star running back Kyle Monangai (25 carries, 132 yards) and does not have much margin for error. But with no Ohio State, no Michigan, no Penn State and no Oregon, the schedule lends itself to an eight-win type season (or better).

17. A year after winning 10 games and reaching its conference championship game, Oklahoma State is off to a 0-2 start in Big 12 play after falling 42-20 at No. 23 Kansas State (4-1, 1-1 Big 12). Quarterback Alan Bowman threw two picks, and the Cowboys rushing attack remains ho-hum despite returning Doak Walker winner Ollie Gordon II, who managed a modest 76 yards on 15 attempts — his fourth consecutive sub-100-yard performance. K-State itself needed a bounce-back win after last week’s blowout loss at BYU. The Wildcats have an off week before visiting Colorado.

18. The Florida State circus show took last week off, then came roaring back with even sillier material. The Noles fell to 1-4 (1-3 in the ACC) with a 42-16 drubbing by conference newcomer SMU (4-1, 1-0). Quarterback DJ Uiagalelei threw three interceptions, including an 82-yard fourth-quarter pick six that prompted Norvell to turn to backup Brock Glenn. Who didn’t complete a pass.

Imagine if I’d told you 13 months ago, when SMU got its invite to the ACC, that it would beat Florida State 42-16 in its first year in the conference. And it wouldn’t seem surprising.

Florida State’s season summed up in a play. pic.twitter.com/OIrusEagWe

— CJ Vogel (@CJVogel_OTF) September 29, 2024

19. Many expected Duke to tail off after losing head coach Mike Elko to Texas A&M and Leonard to Notre Dame, but instead, first-year coach Manny Diaz has the Blue Devils off to a 5-0 start. Down 20-0 in the third quarter to rival North Carolina (3-2, 0-1 ACC), Duke stormed back to win 21-20, claiming the Victory Bell for the first time since 2018. Senior running back Star Thomas exploded for 166 yards on 30 carries, his third straight 100-yard game, and caught a 29-yard touchdown.

20.  I don’t want to alarm anyone, but there’s a brimming possibility that Army and Navy could play each other for the AAC conference championship a week before Army-Navy game, in Army’s first year in the conference.

Both academies are off to 3-0 starts in the AAC (and 4-0 overall). The Black Knights have won all of their games by at least 17 points, the latest a 42-14 rout at Temple, and have won eight in a row dating to last season. Quarterback Bryson Daily ran for 152 yards and three TDs. Navy, off to its best start since 2017, went to UAB and won 41-18, thanks to two 70-plus-yard Blake Horvath TD throws.

As we know, the two schools spend 365 days a year preparing to beat the other. That could prove particularly useful this season.

(Photo of Jalen Milroe running past Malaki Starks: Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)

NEW YORK — As a two-strike fastball from Paul Skenes whizzed toward him, New York Yankees slugger Juan Soto read it as a ball and began backing off the plate. At a time when almost anything is debatable, there’s an overwhelming consensus that Soto has the best eye of any batter in baseball. This time, he had been duped. Soto jerked his front elbow out of harm’s way. But the Pittsburgh Pirates’ rookie phenom had painted a 100 mph heater on the black.

Skenes struck out three in an abbreviated start Saturday, and each was its own chef’s kiss. Seeing Soto and Aaron Judge for the first time since starting the All-Star Game, Skenes caught Soto looking and whirled a sweeper past Judge’s bat for strike three. Then, for the last out of his rookie season, Skenes dispatched Jazz Chisholm Jr. the same way he had Soto, with a triple-digit fastball cutting back onto the inside corner for strike three.

“When you’re able to execute to your arm side with fastballs,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said, “that puts you in a different category.”

This was the final pitch of Paul Skenes’ rookie season …

Absolutely incredible pic.twitter.com/sWmIMmvkE4

— MLB (@MLB) September 28, 2024

The 22-year-old Skenes is, indeed, in his own category. Despite spending the first six weeks of the season at Triple A, Skenes authored the most dominant season of any rookie starting pitcher of the past 50 years.

In a 9-4 Pirates win Saturday, Skenes, starting opposite Yankees right-hander Luis Gil in a matchup of Rookie of the Year front-runners, tossed two perfect innings, then strode off the field with a smile. He ended the season 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA across 133 innings, with 170 strikeouts and 32 walks.

By ERA+, which adjusts for league and park factors, the last starter with a comparable rookie season to Skenes (211 ERA+) did it 51 years ago — Montreal Expos righty Steve Rogers (245 ERA+), who started only 17 games in 1973 but finished seven of them, with a 1.54 ERA in 134 innings.

Since then …

Among those left off the list are Rookie of the Year winners Dwight Gooden (137 ERA+), Fernando Valenzuela (135) and Kerry Wood (129).

“(Skenes) has been one of the big stories of Major League Baseball this year — first pick, doesn’t break camp and then is starting the All-Star Game,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said before Saturday’s game. “He’s obviously had a phenomenal year. I think our guys are looking forward to facing him.

“He’s a player that’s really, really taken the league by storm and has emerged as one of the game’s outstanding starters.”

The story of Skenes’ rookie season is best told in bullet points:

• Since 2000, nine starters have had a sub-2 ERA in at least 130 innings in a season: Pedro Martínez, Roger Clemens, Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Jake Arrieta, Blake Snell, Jacob deGrom, Justin Verlander and now Skenes.

• Skenes is the fourth pitcher in MLB history with a sub-2 ERA and at least 11 strikeouts per nine innings.

• He’s the second pitcher since 1913 with a sub-2 ERA through 23 starts.

• He’s the fifth rookie since 1900 with at least 150 strikeouts and fewer than 40 walks.

• Skenes allowed six hits or fewer in all 23 starts, the third-longest stretch to start a career in recorded history.

• Since debuting May 11, Skenes leads all starters in ERA (1.96), strikeout rate (32.9 percent), average fastball velocity (98.9 mph) and Win Probability Added (3.71), and he ranks second in WHIP (0.95), opponent batting average (.198), FIP (2.48) and strikeout-minus-walk rate (26.6 percent).

From his first major-league pitch at 4:07 p.m. on May 11, a 101 mph four-seamer, to his last pitch Saturday in the Bronx, a 100 mph four-seamer, Skenes delivered time and again for the Pirates. He pitched six no-hit innings in his second start and seven no-hit innings in his 11th start. He chucked 101 mph past Shohei Ohtani. He started the All-Star Game. Skenes allowed two or fewer earned runs in 20 of 23 starts, remaining remarkably consistent even as the Pirates’ playoff chances cratered in August.

Skenes will earn a full year of service by finishing top-two in NL Rookie of the Year voting, so his brilliance will bring him to free agency after five more seasons, not six. The Pirates made no attempts to shut down Skenes or sharply limit his innings late in the season, moves that might have hurt his Rookie of the Year case. On multiple occasions in recent weeks, Shelton stumped for Skenes to win over Jackson Merrill and Jackson Chourio.

“He’s doing things we haven’t seen anybody do,” Shelton said Saturday. “Since he’s come up, it’s hard to argue that he’s not only been Rookie of the Year but he’s been one of the best pitchers in baseball. To have a sub-2 ERA in his first year, especially in today’s era, that’s pretty special.”

Shelton was around several standout young pitchers earlier in his career: CC Sabathia in Cleveland; David Price, Chris Archer and Snell in Tampa; José Berríos in Minnesota. None arrived like Skenes. “That’s a pretty good group of guys,” Shelton said, “and I’d put him right at the top of that.”

The Skenes Effect was evident on Pittsburgh’s North Shore this summer. Skenes pitched seven of the Pirates’ 20 highest-attended home games this season. The average attendance at PNC Park for Skenes starts was 25,460. On any other day: 20,504.

The Pirates had several high-profile pitching debuts in the 2010s — Gerrit Cole, Jameson Taillon, Mitch Keller — but none arrived as capable of eviscerating opposing lineups as Skenes. In fact, the Pirates hadn’t seen anything like this from a rookie starter since Chester A. Arthur was in office, as only Denny Driscoll in 1882 had a better ERA (1.21) or ERA+ (218) through 23 starts in a season than Skenes.

The Pirates haven’t had any starter in the live-ball era start at least 23 games and have a lower ERA or higher ERA+ than Skenes.

Closest ERA: 1968, Bob Veale, 2.05

Closest ERA+: 1977, John Candelaria, 169

Skenes struck out 32.9 percent of batters this season, more than any other right-handed starter in the sport, by spewing gas and ripping splinkers — a sinker/splitter hybrid that Skenes picked up accidentally while playing catch after the draft last year. The splinker elevated a pitch mix that had concerned some evaluators who felt Skenes relied too heavily on a flat fastball and a sweeping slider. Opposing hitters have been flummoxed by the splinker, batting .184 with a .234 slugging percentage against the pitch.

Asked what stood out to him about Skenes, Boone pointed out “the size and power and the ease with which he generates stuff — and then having some cool names for his pitches, too.” Boone added: “He’s so large and generates such power without looking like he’s max-efforting it.”

Skenes averaged 98.9 mph on his four-seam fastball. He touched triple digits 100 times, more than twice as much as any other starter. But it was his ability to sequence and run his mix six pitches deep that was so impressive in the stretch run. He turned to his changeup in key moments in September. He dialed back his fastball usage, then in his last start, attacked Soto and Chisholm with heat right under their hands.

Paul Skenes roasting Juan Soto. pic.twitter.com/V2rzmqsIlq

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 28, 2024

What will his manager remember from Skenes’ rookie season?

“The fact he continued to get better,” Shelton said.

Skenes allowed four earned runs across his last seven starts.

Skenes has had the most dominant rookie season of any starter since Steve Rogers, but not the most valuable. That’s a more complicated case to make.

Skenes entered Saturday with 5.8 WAR, by Baseball Reference ranking 20th among rookie starters in the live-ball era. Brandon Webb, José Fernández and Michael Soroka are all higher on the list. At No. 1, by a full win, is Mark Fidrych: 9.6 WAR. Fidrych had a 2.45 ERA and 159 ERA+ over 250 1/3 innings for the 1976 Tigers. Skenes didn’t come within 100 innings of Fidrych.

When it comes to WAR, The Bird still stands alone.

And yet, had Skenes been on the Pirates’ Opening Day roster, it could be considerably closer. With 10 more starts at this rate, Skenes would have 8.4 WAR, third among rookie starters in the live-ball era.

*Estimate based on Skenes’ pace through 22 starts

Asked after his start Saturday if he’d met his expectations for 2024, the ever-understated Skenes said he hadn’t brought many expectations into the season. He just wanted to take the ball every fifth day.

“I don’t know what else I could have done,” Skenes said, “but I’m definitely happy with how this season went.”

In total, between the minors and majors, Skenes threw 160 innings this season. That seems to have been the Pirates’ chosen number all along. Shelton sat down Skenes in St. Louis two weeks ago and said he’d go five innings against the Reds and two against the Yankees in his last two starts.

Skenes would have preferred to throw with no restrictions this season — the late start effectively prevented him from capturing the ERA title or vying for the NL Cy Young Award — but the Pirates succeeded in keeping him healthy and ready for a larger workload in 2025. “We didn’t know if (the plan) was going to be perfect,” Shelton said. “I don’t know if anybody did. I realize people are going to be critical because they wanted to see him.”

Skenes has two goals for next season. The first is a repeat.

“Just take the ball and pitch,” he said.

The second?

“Win a lot of baseball games.”

(Photo: Dustin Satloff / Getty Images)

INDIANAPOLIS – At Friday’s news conference following the conclusion of the Indiana Fever’s season, rookie Caitlin Clark and head coach Christie Sides condemned the racist rhetoric many WNBA players said they’ve experienced this season.

“Nobody in our league should be facing any sort of racism, hurtful, disrespectful (or) hateful comments and threats,” Clark said. “Those aren’t fans. Those are trolls, and it’s a real disservice to the people in our league, the organization, the WNBA.”

The online targeting of WNBA players appears to have reached a tipping point during the postseason. After the Connecticut Sun eliminated the Fever in the first round of the playoffs Wednesday, Sun veteran Alyssa Thomas pointed to the “Indiana Fever fan base” as directing hateful comments at her and her teammates. Sun guard DiJonai Carrington shared online before Game 2 against the Fever an email she received from an anonymous source that included threatening and racist language.

The Athletic’s @RomeovilleKid asked Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark about the racism and other negativity players have endured this season.

“Those aren’t fans. Those are trolls.”pic.twitter.com/Im0IeDjGkv

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) September 27, 2024

“I think in my 11-year career, I’ve never experienced the racial comments (like those) from the Indiana Fever fan base,” Thomas said. ” … It’s unacceptable, honestly, and, yeah, there’s no place for it. We’ve been professional throughout the whole entire thing, but I’ve never been called the things that I’ve been called on social media, and there’s no place for it.

“Basketball is headed in a great direction, but, nah, we don’t want fans that are gonna degrade us and call us racial names.”

Thomas said the Fever should start “checking their fans,” and also called on the WNBA to do more to protect its players. Sun coach Stephanie White said the toxicity her players have experienced, as well as players around the league, is unacceptable but also a reflection of society. She specifically mentioned “racism, sexism, homophobia (and) transphobia” as issues that plague the country.

The WNBA released a statement on Wednesday also condemning hateful comments toward players: “The WNBA is a competitive league with some of the most elite athletes in the world. While we welcome a growing fan base, the WNBA will not tolerate racist, derogatory, or threatening comments made about players, teams and anyone affiliated with the league. League security is actively monitoring threat-related activity and will work directly with teams and arenas to take appropriate measures, to include involving law enforcement, as necessary.”

White said the media should not allow online trolls to “become the story” and potentially fuel harmful narratives. Fever forward Aliyah Boston expressed a similar stance in her season-ending news conference.

“I feel like the media plays a big role in what other people think, whether they watch the game or not,” Boston said. “Sometimes people aren’t even watching the games. They’re just looking at storylines and headlines that come out, and they’re running off of that. It’s easy to attach yourself to the Fever because we have a lot of attention around us right now, and it’s so easy to say, ‘Well, I’m a Fever fan, I’m an A.B. fan, I’m a Caitlin fan and just (spew) hate off of that – and that’s never OK.”

Sides began her season-ending news conference Friday, alongside general manager Lin Dunn, by reading a statement that emphasized there is “no place for hate or racism of any kind” in the WNBA. She also said that the people spreading vitriol aren’t “real” Fever fans or WNBA fans.

Clark, who won the WNBA Rookie of the Year award, mentioned in June that people should “not be using my name” to push any hateful agendas. The No. 1 pick broke several records throughout her first season and continues to bring unprecedented viewership ratings and attendance to women’s basketball.

“There are a lot of really good fans, whether they’ve been fans for 20-plus years or whether they’re new fans in our league,” Clark said Friday. “I think continuing to uplift this league in a very positive light is the best thing we can do because there are so many great players, there’s so many great teams, there are so many positive storylines that can be written and celebrated. And for me, that’s why I became a fan of this league.”

Dunn commended Clark for how she’s handled the spotlight, noting the scrutiny and negativity Clark has faced while still leading the Fever to their first playoff berth since 2016.

“I think the experiences she had at Iowa were very similar to this. … Sold-out arenas, media, trolls, the whole works,” Dunn said. “She had already dealt with a lot of the things that she is dealing with now, and I think social media has taken a toll on everyone. All of our players, all of our staff. We’ve all had to deal with the issues that we see today, and it’s unfortunate and it shouldn’t be tolerated.”

Required reading

(Photo of Caitlin Clark and Christie Sides: Joe Buglewicz / Getty Images)

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Kalen DeBoer took the job 261 days ago, but Saturday night felt like the moment he truly became Alabama’s head coach.

He won over the roster during spring practice. The Alabama fan base largely hopped on board over the summer after a furious recruiting run. The only thing left was leading the Alabama machine on a big stage with the entire college football world watching. And he didn’t disappoint.

No. 4 Alabama’s 41-34 win over No. 2 Georgia delivered on its hype and then some. When it was over, DeBoer improved to 108-12 as a head coach, 12-2 against AP-ranked opponents and 6-0 against Steve Sarkisian, Lincoln Riley, Dan Lanning and Kirby Smart. There were questions about Alabama’s potential drop-off after Nick Saban’s retirement, and it would have been easy to think the Georgia series would tip in the Bulldogs’ favor with the best coach in college football leading the way. Instead, it was Alabama’s ninth win over Georgia in 10 meetings.

The first half felt like 2015 in Athens: utter domination. The second half was more like 2017 and 2018, with comebacks and late-game heroics by the quarterback. The end result was familiar: Alabama on top. It was a statement game for players like quarterback Jalen Milroe and freshman wide receiver Ryan Williams, but it was an equally big spot for DeBoer, who delivered the type of marquee win that Alabama was known for under Saban.

“All the hard work that you put in during the dark is going to shine at some point,” said Milroe, who had 491 total yards and four touchdowns. “And it came out and shined today. It was a great opportunity for our football team to put it on display.”

GO DEEPER

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DeBoer also learned what it’s like to coach in the SEC. And there will be plenty of teaching moments off of that.

Leading 30-7, Alabama faced second-and-5 on the Georgia 40-yard line with 53 seconds left in the first half. To that point, everything was clicking and it felt like the dam was about to break just before halftime. Then Alabama got too cute. A triple reverse pass that Georgia snuffed out turned into an 8-yard loss. A scoring opportunity turned into a punt. You can’t leave points on the board in any situation, but especially against a team like Georgia.

A 28-0 start turned into a 30-7 halftime lead, which became a 34-33 deficit with 2:31 to play. A game that felt insurmountable for Georgia nearly became a historic collapse for Alabama. The offense that scored touchdowns on four consecutive drives to start the game punted, fumbled or turned it over on downs on seven of its next eight drives. In the second half, the offense averaged just 1.2 yards per carry and converted one third down. The defense couldn’t get a stop, particularly on fourth down, to keep Georgia at bay. It was also another bad night for penalties, with 10 totaling 90 yards.

“They should have never been in a situation to be able to come back,” Williams said. “We were supposed to just keep our foot on the gas, but (Georgia) did come back. We knew adversity would hit at some point — we just had to fight back.”

Jalen Milroe passed for 374 yards and ran for 117 yards. (Todd Kirkland / Getty Images)

To DeBoer and Alabama’s credit, they did just that. One play after Georgia took the lead, DeBoer called a deep shot for Milroe and Williams, which ended up being the game-winning touchdown. After Georgia’s go-ahead 67-yard touchdown, there was no hesitation by DeBoer to throw a haymaker right back. That type of confidence reverberates through the team.

“This isn’t just this week; from day one we’ve talked about no regrets,” DeBoer said. “Compete until the very end. We talk a lot about staying positive and keep fighting. Sometimes the ball doesn’t bounce your way — keep fighting.

“A lot of plays have opportunities where if you find a one-on-one matchup, you take it.”

The usually stoic DeBoer showed some competitive fire on Saturday in a few exchanges with the officials, but players pointed to his poise throughout the game and especially during the seesaw moments toward the end. His calm demeanor matched that of the players, and it led to Alabama turning the game on its axis in a matter of seconds after blowing a 28-point lead.

There’s your passion, Bama fans. pic.twitter.com/6OgFLHSHUS

— Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium (@BryantDenny_UA) September 29, 2024

“Coach DeBoer’s big on energy,” linebacker Jihaad Campbell said. “Throughout the whole game, coach DeBoer had poise, I think that really rubbed off on the whole team. Just understanding, ‘Hey we’re good, next-play mentality.’

“It’s Bama, you know, we are the standard. We don’t really overthink things. We have poise. We trust ourselves. We trust one another to go out there and do our job so we can execute and come out with a win.”

A furious Georgia comeback shouldn’t negate the fact that DeBoer’s staff had an excellent game plan. At halftime, Smart noted that Alabama passing out of an empty backfield was “something new” that it executed well. The interception by Domani Jackson was out of a coverage that Alabama hadn’t shown this season, which prompted Georgia’s Carson Beck to panic and make a mistake.

Milroe looked as accurate and comfortable as he ever has. Alabama finished plus-3 in turnover margin and won the time of possession battle. It was a signature win that also drives home that games aren’t over until they’re over, a message that should keep the team focused with a road game at Vanderbilt next Saturday.

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For as great of a win as it was, the honeymoon phase is over, even after a win. It’s been difficult to criticize DeBoer since January, and to his credit the transition has felt seamless from the start. Saturday’s game allows for fair questions about how Georgia adjusted at halftime and made it a game — and what it means for future opponents. Give credit to Georgia as well, as a program operating at an optimal level with an Alabama-like culture and coach.

Still, Alabama proved on Saturday that under DeBoer, it isn’t going anywhere. Saturday was the biggest test to date, and DeBoer passed.

Now he has to pass the next one, and the next one — and so on. That’s what it means to be the coach at Alabama.

“We have to recognize winning in the SEC is a hard task and enjoy the win,” Milroe said. “I think that’s something that we lose focus with at Alabama — the standard of excellence, of course, but enjoying the win. So much poured into this game.

“We’re going to enjoy the win, but it’s not the end of our road. There’s so much more we can do better as we watch the tape. To start SEC play off this way, with a bang, super happy with the guys’ performance. We’re just going to constantly get better, grow and acknowledge that we’re not a finished football team and never get complacent.”

GO DEEPER

How should Georgia feel about that loss to Alabama? Conflicted

(Top photo of Jalen Milroe and Germie Bernard:  Todd Kirkland / Getty Images)

CHICAGO — A mere mention of the year 1991 elicited a pained groan from Sandy Alomar Jr. as he leaned against a railing in the Cleveland Guardians’ dugout.

Three decades have passed. Alomar played for seven teams across 20 seasons, appeared in 49 playoff games, won an All-Star Game MVP award and supplied a slew of unforgettable moments in a big-league uniform. He has coached for a consistent contender in Cleveland for 15 years.

And yet, he still can’t shake memories of that miserable ’91 season. That’s what losing can do — not the sort of losing that leaves players, coaches and fanbases disgruntled, but the degree of losing that beats the soul out of someone who can’t escape it.

“It hits you in the face every day,” said Cleveland pitcher Alex Cobb, a member of the 115-loss Baltimore Orioles of 2018. “Wake up, do it again. Wake up, do it again.”

Scanning the dugout of the historically inept Chicago White Sox during an early-September series at a mostly empty Guaranteed Rate Field triggered some flashbacks for Cobb.

He signed with the Orioles in late March 2018 and played catch-up for much of the year. By the time Cobb felt like himself, the Orioles were 40 games out of first place and he still had another dozen starts to make. He focused on sharpening his mechanics for the next season.

“You’re just trying to get through the day,” Cobb said. “You find ways.”

Of course, no one’s going to pity a big-leaguer who earns a seven-figure salary, enjoys ample leg room on charter flights, gorges on infinite servings of red meat at Brazilian steakhouses on road trip off days and throws a ball around for a couple of hours every five days.

“I don’t recall anyone feeling sorry for us,” said Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins, who blossomed in 2021, when Baltimore lost 110 games. “In fact, it felt like it was blood in the water at that point.”

Still, it takes a mental toll on those completing nine fruitless innings night after night. No one knows it better than the White Sox, who broke the 1962 New York Mets’ record of 120 losses on Friday. Chicago was eliminated from playoff contention in mid-August. They sit more than 40 games out of fourth place in their division, a situation so bleak it’d test anyone’s drive.

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“It’s definitely challenging to stay locked in and motivated,” said Ryan O’Hearn, a member of a pair of Royals teams that lost more than 100 games.

In 2021, Mullins became the first player since the franchise moved to Baltimore in 1954 to tally 30 homers and 30 stolen bases in a season. But he admits “it just wasn’t as fun” because the team was dreadful. His production dipped over the past three seasons, but he said he has enjoyed the experiences more.

“It’s funny,” he said, “when we go through stints like (the club’s recent funk), it feels like we’re losing. And I’m like, ‘You all have no idea.’”

When Torey Lovullo steered the Arizona Diamondbacks through a 52-110 season in 2021, his 25-minute commutes home from Chase Field were “dark.” He would sing along to Supertramp or Led Zeppelin to decompress and distract himself from whatever daunting matchup awaited his club the following day.

“I tried to go home and just be present at home,” Lovullo said, “and that became harder and harder throughout the course of the season.”

Several players said they would linger at home longer before heading to the ballpark, preferring not to spend an extra nanosecond in the monotonous misery.

“It can feel like a project to get to the stadium itself,” said Cincinnati Reds reliever Buck Farmer.

Farmer led the 2019 Detroit Tigers in appearances, with 73. The Tigers were 29-44 when he pitched and 18-70 when he didn’t.

“We lost a lot,” he said. “In my entire tenure there, we lost a lot.”

One hundred and fourteen games in 2019, to be precise. Enough to draw comparisons to the 2003 Tigers, who rallied during the final week of the season to avoid joining the ’62 Mets in the pantheon of futility.

GO DEEPER

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“September was really hard,” said Matthew Boyd, who made a team-high 32 starts for the 2019 Tigers.

Both ex-Tigers pitchers, however, agreed there’s not much difference between 114 losses and, say, 98, the number of games Detroit dropped the previous two years.

“It’s all hard,” Boyd said.

“Either way sucks,” Farmer said. “Either way you draw it up, not having a winning season is tough. It sucks to lose.”

The clubhouse culture “can dictate how much that sucks,” Farmer said. In 2019, for instance, “it was like showing up for a 9-to-5, which sucks.” Sensing a theme here, or at least noticing a particular word that encapsulates the effects of perpetual losing on the psyche?

“It could have been a lot better,” said catcher Jake Rogers, another member of the 2019 Tigers. “It’s like the (2024) White Sox. You get to a point where everyone is like, ‘We’ve lost how many?’ That part sucks sometimes, but we weren’t thinking that (in) the moment. But you look back at it and it’s like, ‘Man, 114 is a lot.’”

In 2022, the Reds started the season 3-22, but Farmer insists no one would know based on the energy in the clubhouse. That can depend on the composition of the roster. When winning proves impractical, team goals tend to slip down players’ priority lists.

“I will never be OK with losing,” said Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas.

Late in the Miami Marlins’ march to 105 losses in 2019, the players held a meeting after a series in Arizona. Rojas asked his teammates “to look themselves in the mirror and look up (other) rosters (to determine) how many more teams you could play for today,” a method of motivation he said he was taught when he broke into the big leagues.

“Being eliminated a month before the season’s over,” Rojas said, “it’s hard, because the fans feed off that, too. … It’s really hard to ask people to come to the ballpark. So it’s really hard to come to the ballpark every day. It’s really low-energy. You’re finding your own motivation to play the game. But you have to be professional. You have to show up every single day because you’re getting paid.”

“Everybody’s in a certain spot in their career,” Cobb said. “If you’re going to arbitration, you’re trying to fluff as many numbers or trying to prevent bad numbers from happening. If you’re older, you’re on a contract, you’re probably just trying not to get hurt, trying to work on stuff for the next year.”

And if you’re new to the major leagues?

“On a team like that, there are a lot of guys who are super excited to be here,” Cobb said. “You don’t get to ruin that for anyone. You don’t get to take other peoples’ joy away from being in the locker room.”

As the 2018 trade deadline approached, the Orioles dealt away Manny Machado, Zack Britton, Kevin Gausman, Darren O’Day, Jonathan Schoop and Brad Brach. In the second half, Cobb looked around the room and wondered who everyone was. He said the influx of young players ultimately “helped the mood.”

That youthful exuberance can help to dispel feelings of nihilism. As Cobb described, “You’re putting the X over the days on the calendar, just trying to get through it.”

“It’s hard to find those bright spots,” Mullins said. “And those bright spots aren’t going to be looked at too often, just because (of) the team. You want to see the team perform. Individuals can’t do that on their own.”

Outfielder Austin Hays, like Mullins, broke out for the Orioles in 2021.

“You really have to dig into why you’re playing when you’re down 8-0 in the third inning,” said Hays, who credited the birth of his son for giving him proper perspective.

During a 102-loss season with the Oakland Athletics in 2022, catcher Stephen Vogt — now the Guardians’ manager — would encourage veteran players to be “an extension of the coaching staff,” said pitcher Cole Irvin. Vogt would engage the team’s young players about pitchers’ tendencies or reading hitters’ swings.

The most reassuring reminder Vogt provided?

“You’re what the 12-year-old version of yourself wanted to be,” Irvin said.

That 12-year-old self couldn’t wait to get to the field, no matter the team’s results of the previous day or week or month.

“It’s really hard,” Boyd said, “but it’s a balancing act. You have to have awareness. You’re going to fall out of line, and when you do, you have to give yourself grace to gently get back in.”

Those trudges to the finish line can be scarring, though.

As Alomar shook his head, reflecting on that 105-loss Cleveland season in 1991, his former teammate, Carlos Baerga, approached. Alomar stopped him and mentioned the infamous year. Baerga shouted like he was suffering from appendicitis and then recalled the most valuable bit of advice he received in his career. Hitting instructor Jose Morales told him: “Don’t get used to losing, because when you get used to losing, you get lazy.”

Alomar and Baerga came up together with the Padres and won minor-league championships in two of their final three years in the farm system. Then they were shipped to Cleveland, where the Indians lost so much they became a baseball punchline and played in front of small gatherings in a cavernous dungeon on the shores of Lake Erie.

They never sunk lower than in 1991. Cleveland went four decades without a playoff appearance after a trip to the World Series in 1954, but no iteration of the Indians lost more than that ’91 team did.

Alomar tore his groin partially off his pubic bone, which ended his season in late July when the club was sitting at 33-63. He still showed up to the ballpark every day, like a wounded animal slogging toward the slaughterhouse. All he needed to see in the opposing dugout were a few veteran players, and he knew.

“They’re probably gonna kick our butt,” Alomar said.

— The Athletic’s Sam Blum, Chad Jennings, C. Trent Rosecrans and Cody Stavenhagen contributed to this reporting.

(Top illustration: Meech Robinson / The Athletic; Photo of Torey Lovullo: Steph Chambers / Getty Images; Alex Cobb: Rick Madonik / Toronto Star via Getty Images; Luis Robert Jr.: Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images; Sandy Alomar Jr.: Focus on Sport / Getty Images; Miguel Rojas: Mitchell Layton / Getty Images) 

Maarten Paes is the starting goalkeeper for Major League Soccer team FC Dallas. Yet he can walk down a busy street in Dallas, Texas, and nobody will notice him.

That is not the case online. Or in Indonesia.

Like his team-mates in the Indonesia national team, Paes is mobbed when he visits the country and has a huge social media following, far bigger than would be expected of a player yet to trouble football’s uppermost echelons.

Paes, 26, was born in the Netherlands but became an Indonesian citizen in April and was shocked by the rapid growth of his socials — he has 1.7million followers on Instagram and 1.2m on TikTok.

“You already know before it happens because you’ve seen it happen to other players. It’s such a huge country and they are all in love with soccer,” Paes says.

The 26-year-old knew he was eligible to play for Indonesia for a couple of years but at the end of last year, the team reached out to him again. “At that time, my grandmother was declining in her health,” he says.

“She’s from there and I spoke with her a lot about it. It was a thing I could do that would make her smile at the end of her life. That was huge for me. She said, ‘I would really love if you would do that’. So she encouraged me and it was an honour to do it for her.”

After news broke that he was switching to Indonesia, his life changed. “That was when I felt I needed to get a relationship with my social media in a different way, where you can put it away for a while because it can be a little bit overwhelming,” he says. “It’s surreal that suddenly you’re getting adored by so many followers and such big crowds.”

Paes, who represented the Netherlands at youth level, played his first two games for Indonesia during the recent break. He says the goalless draw against Australia, who were 109 places above Indonesia in FIFA’s world rankings, in front of more than 70,000 fans at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium was eye-opening.

“It was like for the first time it all hit me, how big it is,” he says. “You see it on the internet, you see the numbers and you can’t really wrap your head around it. Then we couldn’t leave the hotel without security.”

Oxford United, who sit ninth in the Championship, England’s second tier, rarely generate big numbers on social media, but in August, a video they posted on Instagram hit 5.2million views.

Australian A-League side Brisbane Roar experienced a similarly curious upturn in engagement across social channels this month too. Like Oxford, Brisbane’s videos posted to Instagram are usually viewed thousands of times. Yet back-to-back videos posted to Instagram garnered 4.5million and 1.7million views for Roar.

The explanation? You’ve guessed it: the summer arrival of two Indonesian soccer superstars, in the form of the national team’s youngsters Marselino Ferdinan and Rafael Struick.

Ferdinan is a 20-year-old attacking midfielder who signed for Oxford from Belgian second-division side Deinze last month. Struick is a 21-year-old forward who joined Brisbane (owned by Indonesian conglomerate Bakrie Group) from ADO Den Haag, in Dutch football’s second tier, this month.

Neither arrived as a household name, at least in Europe or Australia, nor were they from well-known clubs.

Within days of Ferdinan joining Oxford, their follower count on Instagram grew from 83,000 to 226,000. Some of Brisbane’s previous posts received less than 10 replies. Struick’s announcement had 9,000.

This is the Indonesia effect. The country in south-east Asia has a population of more than 280million people and football is the No 1 sport. Cue adoration for national team players and fanaticism online and offline.

To illustrate the point, below are some stats compiled by The Athletic to compare Indonesia’s starting XI with the United States men’s national team’s starting XI — but we’re not looking at expected goals or progressive passing. We’re comparing Instagram followers.

Indonesia’s starting XI for their World Cup qualifier against Australia had a collective Instagram following of 26.9million. The 11 clubs they play for have a combined following of under 10m on the same app.

In comparison, USMNT’s last starting XI from their friendly against New Zealand had a combined following of only 1.4m.

That number could have been higher but Christian Pulisic, the AC Milan forward with 7.8m followers on Instagram, was on the bench.

What comparing the two starting XIs should highlight is the level of support for Indonesian players compared with, for example, a country of more than 335million people that will host the men’s World Cup in 2026.

The only players in the starting XI for Indonesia’s goalless draw with Australia who have fewer followers than the club they play for are Rizky Ridho, who plays centre-back for Indonesian Liga 1 side Persija Jakarta, and Justin Hubner, who is at Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League.

Hubner, 21, joined Wolves’ youth ranks in 2020. He has yet to feature for the senior side and plays the majority of his games at academy level — but with the national team, he is treated like he plays week in and week out for Real Madrid, such is the fanfare he experiences online and in person.

“I can’t leave my hotel (in Indonesia) because there are people waiting for me, running to me. Everywhere I go it’s crazy,” Hubner tells The Athletic. “If I go into a shop and then walk out, there will be maybe 100 people waiting. I’m their idol, so they are waiting for me, for pictures and autographs.”

More on the world of social media and football…

Hubner was born in the Netherlands and played alongside Xavi Simons (an Instagram star as a teenager at Barcelona, he had one million followers before he was 14 and now plays for RB Leipzig) in Dutch youth national teams. With Indonesia once a Dutch colony, a growing number of players in the national team have dual citizenship.

“I had maybe 5,000 followers on Instagram and when the fans realised I had Indonesian blood it went to 30k and now I’m at 2.7million,” says Hubner. “In terms of social media, everything has just grown so fast. Everything from brand deals too. There’s so much coming to me now. It’s a dream.”

The day before speaking to The Athletic, his deal with deodorant firm Rexona was launched. “A lot of team-mates here at Wolves say, ‘Can I change my national team to Indonesia?’, as a joke.

“But the guys here support me and are happy for me. They also want followers because it’s nice to have, but it is not about followers, the important thing is that I’m playing for the national team and what comes with it is really nice.”

Hubner went on loan to Japanese side Cerezo Osaka last season and says there were always Indonesia fans there to watch him, but when he travelled back to England following the two World Cup qualifier games against Saudi Arabia and Australia, there was no welcome party like there would have been at Jakarta airport. He returned to his apartment alone and without the need for security.

“It’s a different world,” Hubner says about his quiet life in Wolverhampton. “When I come back to Europe it is like I am living my own life, no stress. In Indonesia, there is a crazy side. You have no privacy, wherever you go there’s always people recording you, it’s nice but it is also good to get back to your own space and privacy.

“When I landed in Indonesia, I tried to hide myself with a cap and a mask but they recognised me straight away. Even the security and police wanted pictures with me. There was 50 to 60 people who wanted a picture. My family are also quite famous now. I made an Instagram account for my mum and she has nearly 50,000 followers. Everyone recognises her. The first time she went to Indonesia, she was asking why people wanted pictures with her.”

When fans meet Hubner he says it is not uncommon for them to be overawed with emotion. Some have cried. His mother, Brigitte, has received direct messages from fans who dream of marrying her son. This star factor is something clubs are trying to tap into.

“Dallas have been noticing it,” goalkeeper Paes says. “There’s been a big boost in terms of engagement for the club. If I play for a club, I like to help them as much as possible because they help me a lot too. My main focus is to keep the balls out of the net for them, but help to build this club, build awareness.”

Oxford, Ferdinan’s new club, are co-owned by Erick Thohir, an Indonesian businessman who helped restore them to the second tier after a 25-year hiatus. Thohir was also appointed head of the Football Association of Indonesia last year and is behind the drive to improve the national team, youth teams and wider football across Indonesia.

“The exciting thing about Marselino is that he is the best young Indonesian talent,” says Thohir. “He’s 20, he’s been playing and training in Belgium.

“We need to be investing in young players at Oxford. He’s young but he has played more than 20 times for our national team, so the Oxford manager wants to give him a chance, and that’s the most important thing.

“If he brings more awareness to Oxford, it is an extra value.

“We want to see an opportunity for any players who can play,” he adds. “So let’s see if Marselino can survive in Oxford because we don’t give any red carpet or VIP treatment. He has to compete.”

(Top photos: Robertus Pudyanto, Mohamed Farag, Zhizhao Wu, Noushad Thekkayil, Getty Images; design: Meech Robinson)

If 0-3 spells danger, then 0-4 spells disaster for an NFL team. The Jacksonville Jaguars and Cincinnati Bengals — both with high expectations entering the year — could find themselves in that position after Sunday.

Before the season, some might not have expected Minnesota Vikings–Green Bay Packers to arguably be Week 4’s most interesting game. But Sam Darnold’s rebirth, Brian Flores’ “wild” and “different” defense and Malik Willis’ superb backup job (as well as Jordan Love’s status) changed plans.

Elsewhere, it gets more difficult by the week to pry the Pittsburgh Steelers starting quarterback job from Justin Fields. He leads Pittsburgh on the road against Anthony Richardson and the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

There is plenty to discuss ahead of Sunday’s Week 4 games. The Athletic’s Mike Sando, Zak Keefer and Jeff Howe break it all down.

The Jaguars (at Houston) and Bengals (at Carolina) try to avoid the dreaded 0-4 start. Both teams had high expectations heading into the year. Should Jacksonville or Cincinnati be more worried about the direction of its season?

Sando: Jacksonville! The Jaguars have existential questions about their football leadership, about the quarterback they just paid, about the very essence of their operation. They would love to have the Bengals’ problems.

Keefer: I’m very much with Mike on this one. The main difference I see is the quarterback play. Joe Burrow’s been much better the last two weeks, even in two losses, while Trevor Lawrence looks utterly lost. He’s missing throws no starter should miss, let alone a No. 1 pick who’s been very good since he entered the league. He’s now lost eight consecutive starts. Something’s not right in Jacksonville. As for the Bengals, this defense is letting them down. Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase are good enough to win games, but without Cincinnati playing any sort of complementary football, the Bengals aren’t going to turn this around.

Howe: Before the season, I listed the Jaguars’ four-game schedule out of the gate as their greatest concern, so the 0-3 start wasn’t wholly unpredictable. However, the lack of fight and leadership was far more unexpected. In conversations with executives this week, they saw a team that didn’t have an identity on offense and struggled to protect the quarterback, and saw Lawrence’s inaccuracies as likely due to inconsistent fundamentals resulting from waning confidence. The Jaguars better start coming together or there could be massive changes in the not-so-distant future. The Bengals are probably out of the AFC North race, but they’re still talented and resilient enough to push for a playoff spot.

GO DEEPER

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Between the Sam Darnold Redemption Tour and Malik Willis keeping the Packers afloat (Jordan Love was also listed as questionable Friday), Vikings-Packers is suddenly one of the year’s biggest games so far. How do you see this matchup playing out?

Sando: The Vikings’ defense gives Minnesota the edge while the Packers are possibly shifting gears at quarterback. I’d lean more toward Green Bay if Love had been playing and if he were in a rhythm. The Packers might win it anyway; they’re at home, and Sam Darnold is not going to cruise through the season without turning it over more.

Keefer: Quarterbacks get all the love in this league — and Darnold and Willis had been tremendous, weighing the circumstances they walked into — but the sneaky storyline to pay attention to in this one is the defenses. Brian Flores’ Vikings unit has overwhelmed the 49ers’ and Texans’ offenses in consecutive weeks and is getting after the QB at a historic clip. Jeff Hafley, in his first year running the Packers’ defense, has been excellent. This one doesn’t just feature two of the league’s most underappreciated head coaches in Kevin O’Connell and Matt LaFleur, but two of the best defensive coordinators so far this season, too.

GO DEEPER

Packers-Vikings preview: Jordan Love’s status, Aaron Jones’ return, and more

Howe: The Willis story has been an early-season highlight, but Brian Flores’ defense just made Brock Purdy and C.J. Stroud look ordinary in back-to-back weeks. Whether it’s Willis or Love returning from injury and a two-week layoff, I’d be fairly surprised if they got the better of that Vikings defense. Darnold’s start has been impressive, but I’m curious to see how he manages in-game adversity. There hasn’t been much yet, and I’m sure Matt LaFleur and his staff have something in the works to throw him off a bit. This game could set the tone for the Coach of the Year conversation.

The Steelers have a 4-0 start in their sights as they travel to Indianapolis on Sunday. Has Justin Fields done enough to keep the starting job over Russell Wilson should Wilson eventually be cleared to play?

Sando: Sticking with Fields is the easy call. There’s no need to change unless Fields gets injured or really falters. It’s a long season. There’s a good chance Wilson will play at some point. There’s just no need to force it while things are going well.

Keefer: Not if you ask Mike Tomlin, who’s essentially said he’s not making this decision until he has to. But if Fields keeps playing like this, Wilson might not ever see the field this season. Tomlin’s experienced enough to know you don’t mess with a good thing. Fields isn’t lighting it up, but he’s looking more comfortable with each passing week, and his upside is greater than Wilson’s, who is far from the same player he was during his Seattle peak. Anything short of an absolute dud — or a really lousy month — from Fields gets Wilson his starting job back.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Justin Fields (2) warms up next to quarterback Russell Wilson before a game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Acrisure Stadium. (Barry Reeger / Imagn Images)

Howe: Absolutely. Fields has done everything the Steelers have asked of him. He delivered an absolute beauty of a ball on the 55-yard touchdown to Calvin Austin against the Chargers, but he’s mostly just needed to play responsible football while sprinkling in a timely play. That’s perfect. It’s great to see a team and quarterback align to get the best out of one another. This is the definition of complementary football, and Fields and the coaching staff — and that wildly talented defense — all deserve credit. I’d be stunned if Fields maintained this pace and was relegated to the bench.

Coming off a spectacular ‘Monday Night Football’ performance, Jayden Daniels takes the Commanders on the road against the Cardinals. What has been most impressive about Daniels’ start to the season? Does his play change Washington’s ceiling this year?

Sando: Daniels’ poise has been most impressive. The way he stood strong against the rush, knowing he was going to take a big hit, before delivering the clinching 27-yard touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin was one example of this.

Keefer: Daniels has been the best of the rookie QBs so far, and it’s not particularly close. I think a big part of this is what Washington offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury has asked Daniels to do: He’s tapping into his rookie QB’s immense skill set without having him carry the entire offense on his shoulders. That’s much harder than it sounds. Daniels had just two incompletions in Monday night’s win, and part of that was the quick throws Kinsburgy kept calling. It’s a delicate balance starting a rookie passer right away, wanting him to gain the experience of playing regular-season games without the unforgiving nature of this league burying his confidence along the way. The Commanders are acing this test so far, and they deserve credit for that.

Howe: If Daniels keeps this going, the Commanders will be knocking on the door for the playoffs, so I’d say that’s definitely a change in their ceiling. Kingsbury’s offenses trailed off late when he ran the Cardinals, so that’s something to monitor. Part of that, of course, was due to Kyler Murray getting banged up, and executives still believe that could be problematic for Daniels if he takes on too much contact. If they can stick with the run game, both with Daniels and Brian Robinson, the Commanders will be in good shape.

The Seahawks are 3-0 in an NFC West where the 49ers and Rams are battling injuries. The Lions’ path to another division title looks slightly tougher considering the way the Vikings and Packers are playing. Have your preseason expectations about Seattle or Detroit changed through three games?

Sando: My expectations remain about the same, but if the Seattle defense has its way against the Lions’ offense, I’ll wonder a little louder whether opponents are catching up to the Detroit offense. That was a potential concern entering the season.

Keefer: Kudos to Mike Macdaniel and the Seahawks on their 3-0 start. You can only play the teams in front of you. But let’s be honest: Seattle hasn’t beat anyone. I seriously doubt the Broncos, Patriots or Dolphins will end up as a playoff team in 2024. Monday’s game is the Seahawks’ first real test, and if they’re going to hang with the 49ers and Rams — two teams with their own issues at the moment — in the NFC West, this is their chance to prove it. The only thing that worries me about Detroit’s path to a second straight NFC North title is how good the division is. This is the best in the league, and it’s easy to envision three teams all making it to the playoffs: the Lions, Packers and Vikings. Look at the back end of the schedule, when all the NFC North see each other in short succession. This figures to be a wild finish.

Howe: The Seahawks have done a nice job of winning games while not really playing at their best. They’ve also had to overcome some injuries of their own, though they’re not as high profile as their division counterparts. I believed the Seahawks would be a playoff team this season, so my expectations are still the same with them. As for the Lions, they shook off a surprising loss to the Bucs with an impressive victory against a vastly improved Cardinals team. I’ve still got the Lions among the favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.

(Top photo of Trevor Lawrence: Kevin Sabitus / Getty Images)