This is the 6th song off of Taylor Swift’s Midnights that I’ve had on in the background during Week to Week Notes. Anti-Hero, Mastermind, Lavender Haze, Karma, and Vigilante Sh!t have already been used so I figure I might as well just do the rest of the album once a month, new rule. I’m a true Swiftie, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a bigger sports media CEO who is a bigger fan. We all know there is a 46-year-old former sports media CEO who likes to play up how he’s a Swiftie and all, but we all know that’s just a bit. Let’s get back on track, fellas - if you haven’t heard Maroon - as the kids used to say “it slaps.”
At the ‘22 Nashville Songwriter Awards while accepting the Songwriter-Artist of the Decade, Taylor dropped an easter egg, “I’d say most of my lyrics fall into [the Fountain Pen style]. It means a modern storyline or references with a poetic twist, taking a common phrase and flipping its meaning. Basically trying to paint a vivid picture of a situation down to the chipped paint on the door frame and **the incense dust on the vinyl shelf.** Placing yourself and whoever is listening right there in the room where it all happened. The love, the loss, everything.” This is classic Taylor. Very calculated, gotta respect it.
The way she pretty much raps the rosé line. It’s everything. She’s essentially spitting the verse.
In the first verse, she and the guy she is with are happy. In this second verse, things are going awry. I no longer have to look up what a carnation is because I learned about it while doing the write-up on American Pie. On the flower hierarchy, carnations aren’t at the same level as roses, so she’s telling the guy that the relationship wasn’t as good as he might’ve thought it was.
@YouTheReader in the first chorus she says “I choose you.” This one it’s “I lost you.” Also @Fellas, in ‘12, Taylor came out with a song (as well as an album) called “Red”, where she describes love in a more youthful and innocent way as a “burning red.” Here with Maroon, a darker shade of red, she is describing love in a more mature, complex, and honest way.
Honestly, I’ve had nightmares of Swifties shouting these lyrics at me and it is terrifying.
Taylor doesn’t miss. Great tune. Icon.
On to the sports…
The Women’s World Cup starts later this week with New Zealand playing Norway at 3 AM ET, followed by Ireland playing Australia at 6 AM ET. Team USA kicks off their first match on Friday night against Vietnam at 9 PM ET. I’ve been covering the 23 ladies that made Team USA’s Roster. Here are the final 5 midfielders. In case you’re interested, here are the other Saturdays where Week to Week Notes covered the other positions…
Julie Ertz is from Mesa, Arizona. She has twice won the U.S. Soccer Female Player of the Year (‘17 & ‘19). She is a two-time Olympian and two-time World Cup champion with a ton of experience. She is a defense-first midfielder and her hard-nosed play is what you can expect. She and former Eagles & current Cardinals TE, Zack Ertz, got married back in ‘17. They welcomed their first child in August of ‘22 and Julie was able to return to the field 8 months after birth in a friendly against Ireland. Julie and Zack also started the Ertz Family Foundation with a mission of empowering others by sharing faith, learning through sports, and advancing education to build supportive communities.
Lindsey Horan, Midfielder, #10
Club: Olympique Lyonnais (France)
Lindsey Horan is from Golden, Colorado. She is the captain of Team USA along with Alex Morgan. Horan became the 4th player to win both the U.S. Soccer Female (‘21) and Young Female Player (‘13) of the Year awards. She made history by being the first American female to sign a pro contract straight out of high school, playing for PSG soon after her graduation. Lindsey has been swapping jerseys since she first started playing and now has over 100. When Lindsey Horan is not playing soccer, she is watching it. Her favorite club is Arsenal and her favorite player of all time is Lionel Messi. Good luck captain. 🫡
Rose Lavelle, Midfielder, #16
Club: Ol Reign
Rose Lavelle is from Cincinnati, Ohio. The All-American Wisconsin Badger alum broke out during the ‘19 World Cup winning the Bronze Ball as the 3rd best player in the tournament and being named to the FIFA World XI. She followed up on her most productive calendar year for USWNT in ‘21 (22 games, 1,411 minutes, 5 goals, & 5 assists) with more consistent play as she played in 16 games, 1,107 minutes, and 4 goals with 6 assists. Rose Lavelle plays an exciting brand of soccer. She is also an avid reader and loves her English Bulldog, Wilma. Rose has a USL team mascot named after her with the Forward Madison FC based in Madison Wisconsin - the cow’s name is Rose Cowbelle, an achievement Lavelle feels honored by.
Kristie Mewis, Midfielder, #22
Club: NY/NJ Gotham FC
Kristie Mewis is from Hanson, Massachusetts, and played for Boston College. In ‘08, Mewis was named the U.S. Soccer Young Female Athlete of the Year and early on it looked like she was set to be the next great American soccer player. She made her debut with USWNT in ‘13 and earned 15 caps before being out of the team’s picture frame again until ‘20. During that 6 year stretch, Mewis credits her rehab process from her torn ACL in ‘18 as a major reason for re-evaluating her mentality. It worked considering she has completed the comeback now making the Olympic team in ‘20 and her first World Cup this year. Mewis had gone 2,454 days between her 15th and 16th caps, scoring a goal in her first game back. Kristie has a younger sister, Samantha, who played on Team USA during the ‘19 World Cup, and with Kristie making the team, the Mewis sisters become the first set of sisters to each represent the USA at a World Cup.
Ashley Sanchez, Midfielder, #2
Club: Washington Spirit
Ashley Sanchez is from Monrovia, California, and she attended UCLA before being the #4 overall pick in the ‘20 NWSL Draft. The first American to play in both the FIFA Under-17 (as a captain) and Under-20 Women’s World Cups in the same cycle, which she did in ‘16. Sanchez, an All-American for the Bruins, was named the U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year in ‘16. The dynamic dribbler and crafty attacker played 731 minutes in ‘22 where she scored 3 goals with 3 assists. Ashley has a French Bulldog named Nala.
MLB Front Runners
Notes on the 3 MLB front runners in the MVP, CY Young, and Rookie of the Year races for each league.
AL MVP
1. Shohei Ohtani, DH/SP, LA Angels
The Japanese star hitter & pitcher has taken MLB by storm since he came to America in ‘18. Thus far, his ‘23 season at age 28 has been his best. He currently leads baseball in home runs with 32 and is hitting .302 while pitching to a 7-4 record with a 3.32 ERA. Ohtani also leads the MLB in least hits allowed per 9 innings, averaging only 6. One thing to keep in mind is that no player who was traded and/or changed leagues via mid-season has ever won an MVP so if dealt at the deadline, Ohtani will be the first.
2. Corey Seager, SS, Texas Rangers
Corey Seager is hitting an incredible .353 on the season, which leads the American League. Just last night he recorded his 500th RBI and his career 150th home run. Look, if Ohtani stays in the AL, Seager really has no shot at winning MVP, but he is having a great season and leading the 1st Place AL West Rangers.
3. Aaron Judge, RF, NY Yankees
Even if Aaron Judge doesn’t play another game this season, Judge should earn some MVP votes because of just how putrid the Yankees are without him. It is July 15th and the Yanks are currently in last place in the American League East. They have not been in last place this late into the season since 1992. Without the ‘22 AL MVP, this team is terrible. Getting rid of the assistant to the assistant hitting coach isn’t going to do anything. Fire Cashman & Boone.
AL CY Young
1. Framber Valdez, SP, Tampa Bay Rays
The Houston Astros would not allow Framber Valdez to pitch in the All-Star game. This is after they also didn’t let him throw for the Dominican Republic at the World Baseball Classic. It is very sad that the Houston organization is holding back Valdez. The Southpaw currently leads the MLB in ERA with a 2.51, the Astros should showcase Valdez in exhibition games more.
2. Gerrit Cole, SP, NY Yankees
Gerrit Cole is having his best season in Pinstripes. Crew cut Cole is 9-2 with a 2.85 ERA and has given the Yankees money start after money start. It’s too bad Brian Cashman is wasting Cole’s masterful season because he sucks at spending the rest of Hal Steinbrenner’s money.
3. Shane McClanahan, SP, Tampa Bay Rays
Shane McClanahan currently has the 2nd best ERA in the MLB with a 2.53, just right behind Valdez. The Rays’ first-round pick from the ‘18 season was originally drafted by the New York Mets in the 26th Round of the ‘15 Draft. McClanahan leads the majors with 11 wins this season and barring any setbacks is set to come back from his back injury this Monday.
AL Rookie of the Year
1. Josh Jung, 3B, Toronto Blue Jays
The 8th Overall pick of the ‘19 MLB Draft, Josh Jung, is having an excellent rookie season playing the hot corner in Arlington. Batting .278 on the season with 19 home runs and 56 RBIs, Jung became the first Rangers rookie to start an All-Star Game since the Rangers moved to Texas in 1972.
2. Masataka Yoshida, LF, Boston Red Sox
Masataka Yoshida is 30 years old and if a 29-year-old Hideki Matsui couldn’t win the AL Rookie of the Year back in ‘03 over Angel Berroa then I don’t care that Yoshida is hitting .317 on the year.
3. Anthony Volpe, SS, NY Yankees
Anthony Volpe will need to have a monster 2nd half of the season. Since Boston Boy texted me that “Vulpi sucks” on June 11, AV is hitting .286 with 4 homers in 25 games. If we extrapolated that over the course of 162, he’d had 156 hits, 91 runs scored, and 26 homers. That would put him in the convo for AL Rookie of the Year.
NL MVP
1. Ronald Acuna Jr., RF, Atlanta Braves
Ronald Acuna Jr. has 42 steals and 21 home runs. The last player to go 40 homers and 40 steals in a season was Alphonso Soriano in ‘06. In fact, only Jose Canseco, Barry Bonds, and A-Rod are the other members of the 40-40 club. I said this last week about him and nothing has changed. The ‘18 NL Rookie of the Year is in the midst of a career year batting .329 and is only 25 years old.
2. Mookie Betts, CF/RF/SS/2B, LA Dodgers
Mookie Betts has played over 200 innings at SS and 2B this season. While he may not be the same player he was when he was AL MVP in ‘18 (.346 batting average with 32 home runs & 30 steals), Betts is being used to his max potential as a versatile defender and has traded some batting average for power, as he already has 26 homers this season.
3. Luis Arraez, 2B, Miami Marlins
This past offseason the Marlins dealt Pablo Lopez for Luis Arraez. Lopez has been average with the Twins while Arraez leads the MLB in hitting with a .380 batting average and has the Marlins currently as the #1 Wild Card in the NL. Arraez has had 12 3-hit games this season.
NL CY Young
1. Zac Gallen, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks
11-3 with a 3.04 ERA. He ranks 1st in the NL in WHIP (1.05), and 2nd in K's (125). Gallen has thrown 11 quality starts and has the D-Backs in 2nd place in the NL West.
2. Spencer Strider, SP, Atlanta Braves
Spencer Strider leads baseball with 155 Ks. He is also 10-2 with a 3.66 ERA. When asked to rank his favorite grunge bands by GQ Sports in Seattle, Strider went 4) Alice in Chains 3) Pearl Jam 2) Nirvana 1) Soundgarden.
3. Clayton Kershaw, SP, LA Dodgers
Clayton Kershaw won’t be back in the Dodgers rotation until at least August. This will make his CY Young chances diminish but I needed to Note that Kershaw is a fellow Swiftie and that in his 16th MLB season, he can still lead the NL in ERA with a 2.55 and strike out over a guy an inning. He’ll be back for the playoff push.
NL Rookie of the Year
1. Corbin Carroll, LF, Arizona Diamondbacks
Corbin Carroll is the first rookie in baseball history to have 15 homers and 25 stolen bases before the All-Star break. (Source: @ESPNStatsInfo) Carroll will try to join Acuna Jr. in the 40-40 club, but I’m sure the D-Backs will take 30 homers and 50 steals in the Arizona dry heat.
2. Elly De La Cruz, 3B, Cincinnati Reds
Elly De La Cruz is only 31 games into his big-league career and he already has hit a ball 116.6 MPH and has thrown a ball 99.1 MPH. On top of that, he is an absolute menace on the basepaths, already stealing 16 bases on 16 attempts. If he had started the season in the MLB, he’d likely be the NL Rookie of the Year favorite despite Carroll’s brilliant play.
3. Matt McClain, SS, Cincinnati Reds
For the past decade, the Cincinnati Reds have been dying to develop young stars around Joey Votto. They had quite a few flash-in-the-pan performers over the years, but it looks like they now have two foundational pieces in Elly De La Cruz and Matt McClain. The latter of the two is hitting .296 with a .364 OBP, which would be the best on-base % amongst SS once McClain plays enough games to qualify. Both the young Reds rookies are on a mission to get the Reds their first NL Central Division title since ‘12.