“Enter Sandman.”

That’s what Phil Murphy said today just before donning his mask and wrapping up his COVID briefing.

Some may have been bewildered, but not baseball fans. Or more especially, Yankee fans.

A few moments before, Dr. Ed Lifshitz, the state’s communicable disease specialist, was talking about the state’s progress in fighting the virus.

The numbers are rising – about 4,600 new cases were announced today – but at the same time, things are a tad better than they were in the spring. For example, state hospitals have much more personal protection equipment and ventilators in stock than they did in April.

Lifshitz said it’s like the state is in the sixth inning of a close ball game, but “Mariano is warming up.”

Ah, so now Murphy’s ending comment makes sense.

For the uninitiated, when Mariano Riviera, the Yankees’ Hall of Fame relief pitcher, entered the game at home, Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” would blare over the Yankee Stadium sound system.

Murphy is a Red Sox fan, but clearly knows a lot about the game itself.

Sports at its best can bridge cultural and political divides among people. so today’s baseball interlude was appreciated.

More generally, the news is not good.

The governor presented two projection models that anticipated from about 7,200 to 12,500 new cases a day by early next year. These are the extremes of the best-case and worst-case scenario of each model. As you can see, even the low end is not all that uplifting.

Hoping to ensure things are as good as possible, state officials are hoping residents have small gatherings for the holidays. Judy Persichili, the health commissioner, stressed the “joy” of following the rules and not getting others ill.

Sadly, for either selfish or political reasons, everyone is not going to do that.

In fact, Murphy was asked about reports that some are trying to evade the ban on competitive indoor youth sports by calling hockey games skill sessions.

Enforcement, as officials readily admit, is always difficult.

Still, the governor displayed little patience, saying, “The enforcement knob is getting turned up higher.”  He didn’t provide details, but Murphy said to those who creatively violate the rules, “Shame on you, shame on you.”

The governor began briefings at the start of the pandemic, which was just about nine months ago.

They were daily and then they were reduced to three times, and then two times, a week.

Now they’re three times a week again.

Surely, this exposure has given Murphy, who was still largely unknown in some quarters a year ago, widespread visibility in New Jersey and elsewhere.

Is that something he realizes?

The governor laughed and said of state residents, “Whether they like it or not, they’re more familiar with me.”