Morning Briefing: Science proves Tom Brady is a cheater

Tom Brady is a cheater. It has to be true because it has been proven scientifically.

You see, last week was science fair time at Millcreek Elementary School in Lexington, Ky. You remember science fairs. For me, it involved waiting until the last minute and not understanding how I didn’t win.

For 10-year-old Ace Davis, it involved his least favorite athlete: New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.

Davis used the “Deflategate” scandal as evidence, graphing his own accuracy and distance throwing a football, as well as his mother’s and sister’s, while using properly inflated balls and balls that were underinflated. He concluded that it’s better to have an underinflated ball.

Davis won the science fair and will now go to the district finals.

But why pick on Brady? Why not just build a volcano like everyone else?

“Because I hate Tom Brady, he’s been accused of cheating before; I want him to be caught,” Davis told Draft Diamonds.

So there you have it, because nothing is more accurate than a 10-year-old scientist.

I got you, Babe

New York Yankees reliever Adam Ottavino, signed as a free agent last week, was once asked about the differences between today’s game and the game many years ago.

“I had an argument with a coach in Triple-A about Babe Ruth’s effectiveness in today’s game,” Ottavino told MLB.com’s Statcast podcast. “And this was like 10 years ago. I said, ‘Look, Babe Ruth, with that swing, swinging that bat, I got him hitting a buck 40 with eight homers.’

“And he’s like, ‘Are you nuts? Babe Ruth would hit .370 with 60 homers.’ And I’m like, ‘I would strike Babe Ruth out every time.’ I’m not trying to disrespect him, rest in peace, shout out to Babe Ruth. But it was a different game. I mean, the guy ate hot dogs and drank beer and did whatever he did, and it was just a different game.”

Now that he is with the Yankees, Ottavino apologized. Sort of.

“I was surprised that it went so viral,” Ottavino said Friday. “But I saw when they put the quote out of context out there why people would get so upset. I mean certainly I probably used a bad example of the point I was trying to make: the evolution of the pitching in baseball over baseball history. And Babe Ruth’s probably a name that I shouldn’t have used in this example…. But I meant no disrespect. I’m a huge baseball historian and love the game, and it’s not even something that can be proven anyway, so I find it a little funny.”

Cashing out

Do you like to carry a lot of spending money? If you do, live in Tampa, Fla., and are a fan of the Rays (all seven of you), leave your cash at home when you go to the ballpark.

On Friday, the team announced that Tropicana Field will become the first cash-free sports venue in North America. The move was made to cut the average transaction time in half anywhere money changed hands.

“We have made significant investments each year to improve the ballpark experience for fans,” William Walsh, Rays vice president of strategy and development, said in a news release. “This change will increase speed of service and reduce lines throughout the ballpark.”

Among the methods that will now be accepted are credit cards, mobile pay and Rays gift cards.

It now makes sense as to why the Rays never get any big free agent: They try to pay using a gift card.