Mike DiMauro: Dr. I: Eight networks for the Yanks; better sauce in Groton

Oct. 8—Idle Thoughts, while waiting for the Giants across the pond, Kay and A-Rod to stop talking and for Ledyard-Waterford football on Friday night:

Dr. Idle, Dr. I to his close friends, would like everyone to know that the Yankees have already made history this season, regardless of playoff performance.

No other baseball team has ever appeared on eight different networks in one season. Until the Yanks of 2022.

Pinstripe loyalists have navigated YES, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Peacock, ESPN, Fox, FS1 and now TBS for the playoffs.

Maybe next year we can add Nat Geo and Telemundo, too.

But then, what else to expect from a sport whose commissioner couldn't be bothered to show up for Aaron Judge's No. 62 game the other night?

The Commish was probably off negotiating another TV contract.

— Bravo to Bob Costas, who pulled the upset the other night and offered actual insight on a cable news channel.

Costas appeared on CNN and chided the dullards who conclude that cheating has always existed in baseball because players in the old days took amphetamines. Costas: "Amphetamines don't help you hit the ball harder or farther. PEDs do."

More Costas: Until Barry Bonds was 36, he hit one homer every 16 at bats. After 36, he hit one homer every six at bats.

Baseball's reaction? Nothing to see here. Move along, move along, move along.

— No school or work Monday. A great opportunity to spend the day at Mohegan Sun.

The Day and GameDay will present the first high school volleyball games ever played at Mohegan Sun Arena. Ledyard-Lyman at 4:30, Fitch-East Lyme at 6:30.

Dr. I heard some criticism last year when The Day Holiday Classic featured only boys' basketball teams. Fair enough. Here is an all-girls event. Don't be one of those people who bellows about the unfairness of it all and then doesn't show up.

Here is the ticket link: www.theday.com/volleyball

— OK. Dr. I is going to get crushed for this one.

But he remains a pursuer of truth.

The sauce at Groton Italian Night is better than the sauce at New London Italian Night.

So there.

— Happy 100th birthday to Carrie Evento, who celebrated with her family Saturday. Carrie might be better known as "Mrs. Cactus Jack," the wife of the late, great Edwin Evento ("Cactus Jack") after whom one of the region's great charitable foundations was named.

— If actress Rain Phoenix married former Montville High/Avery Point baseball player Chris Nott and then divorced him for Baltimore Ravens receiver Isaiah Likely, she would be a weather forecast.

(Rain Nott Likely).

— Ohhhhh, got it. Kadarius Toney injured his OTHER hamstring this week.

It's this kind of toughness that just conjures thoughts of Cal Ripken for ol' Dr. I.

— Can someone explain to Dr. I why all the fans had their phones recording with Judge at the plate?

What, there aren't enough highlight shows on TV now that wouldn't show the homer 1,200 times?

Try it this week. Tell Dr. I what's on TV more: A highlight of Judge's 62nd homer or Sen. Blumenthal on the evening news.

— Dr. I is on record hating everything about the Red Sox to the point where he won't get gas at Citgo because of the sign behind the Green Monster.

But that was an awesome tribute the other night at Fenway to the great Dennis Eckersley.

Funny how even when Dr. I watches baseball now he finds himself saying "upper tank," "educated cheese," a "three-run Johnson" and "a pair of shoes."

— Line of the week (that Dr. I is stealing here): "Gisele Bundchen and Eli Manning are the only people who have ever taken rings away from Tom Brady."

— Second-best line of the week (that Dr. I is also stealing here): "If (Mets owner) Steve Cohen wanted to spend $300M to get stomped in Atlanta, he should've just donated it to the Trump re-election campaign."

— So about this Mississippi State receiver named Caleb Ducking: Do you think he ever has trouble with autocorrect?

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro