[Posted Sunday PM…after The Masters…]
New York Mets Quiz: Name the top ten in franchise history for most wins by a pitcher. No. 10 is at 74. Answer below.
The Masters
In all the talk leading up to Thursday’s opening round, there was one overwhelming topic. Rory McIlroy, having slayed his demons last year at Augusta, was “freed up.” He was relaxed, knew he could beat the course and on Thursday and Friday he did just that.
After Thursday…
Rory -5
Sam Burns -5
Jason Day -3
Patrick Reed -3
Kurt Kitayama -3
Shane Lowry -2
Justin Rose -2
Xander Schauffele -2
Scottie Scheffler -2
Brooks Koepka E
It was a dream early leaderboard.
As for the LIV golfers, Bryson DeChambeau was +4 and Jon Rahm +6.
And then on Friday, Rory fired a memorable 65, birdieing the last four holes, six of his last seven, giving him a six-shot lead that set a Master record through 36 holes.
The round was so masterful, on the back nine he birdied both par 5s after having to lay up from the trees.
After 36….
Rory -12
Burns -6
Reed -6
Rose -5
Lowry -5
Tommy Fleetwood -5
Koepka was at -3.
Scheffler slid back to E.
Jon Rahm made the cut at +4.
And DeChambeau tripled No. 18 to miss the cut at +6 when he was comfortably heading into the weekend on the tee at 18.
Among the LIV golfers, only Tyrrell Hatton showed up at -4.
Others to miss the cut aside from DeChambeau were JJ Spaun, Robert MacIntyre (who was a total d— and acted incredibly immaturely) and LIV’s Cam Smith.
I’ve said it before. There was Smith after winning The Open Championship in 2022 (Cam Young second), destined for superstardom. But he took the LIV riches, just wanting to spend it all back home in Australia with his buddies, and it’s as if he truly stopped giving a damn about the sport. He has now missed the cut at his last six majors. What a waste all around, including for the Saudis.
Speaking of the Saudi Public Investment Fund, what the hell are they thinking, especially after all the losses suffered in the Iran war in terms of commerce. I mean corporations around the world are now rethinking their plans for the region. Saudi Arabia lost a Grand Prix and who knows what will happen with future LIV and DP World Tour events in the Gulf area as well.
[Even prior to the war, MBS was slashing his profligate spending on his crazy ‘Future World’ projects.]
But back to the action. Look at that leaderboard, save for Scheffler’s absence on it…that’s what you want Saturday and Sunday at Augusta…except for Rory’s margin!
So how would McIlroy do on Saturday?
Well, sports fans, it changed quickly. Rory bogeyed the first, Burns birdied it, after Reed, playing in the group ahead, had birdied it as well.
Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler and Cam Young were on fire…and it was….
Rory -11 thru 1
Burns -7…1
Reed -7…1
Scheffler -6…12
Young -6…5
And….
Rory -12 thru 3
Reed -9…3
Burns -8…3
Young -7…7
Haotong Li -7…6
Reed then bogeys No. 4.
And then Lowry aces No. 6! …he’s -8! Holy Toledo! Lowry is the first in Masters history with two hole-in-ones!
This is only Saturday….
Young birdies No. 8 …-8…remember, he started out +4 on Thursday. Go Deacs!
Li eagles the par-5 8th…-9!
Moving on, Cam Young gets a massive break when his drive on the par-5 13th is headed out of bounds, left, but it hits a tree and ends up in the fairway, Young capitalizes for a birdie…-10.
And we have….
Rory -12 thru 9
Young -10…13
Lowry -9…10
Li -9…12
Burns -8…9
Rory puts his ball in the water on the par-4 11th and doubles it!
Young had put his ball in the water on 15…bogey.
Rory -11…thru 11
Young -10…15
Day -9…15
Burns -9…11
For all his crappy play, Rory is just +1…it’s the field that has roared back.
But Young birdies 16…-11.
And Rory bogeys 12…-10…as everyone is saying…this is shocking!
Young on 17 then hits another tree on his tee shot…and it bounces back into the fairway a second time!
Young -11…16
Rory -10…12
Burns -9…12
And we finish the round….
Young -11…73-67-65
Rory -11…67-65-73
Burns -10
Lowry -9
Day -8
Rose -8
Scheffler -7
Li -7
It’s going to be crazy on Sunday…sunny, warm and the greens lightning fast.
And Scheffler, Rose and Burns birdie the first, as Rory and Young would par it. Scheffler then birdies No. 3.
Burns doubles No. 2, while Young birdies it, Rory par.
Young -12…thru 2
Rory -11…2
Scheffler -9…4
Lowry -9…2
Burns -9…2
Burns bogeys No. 3.
Young’s drive on No. 3 is way right, and for a third time in two rounds, he hits a tree and ends up in the fairway!
Rory birdies No. 3, Young goes on to par it. Both tied at -12.
But while Young pars No. 4, Rory doubles it!
Young -12…4
Rory -10…4
Russell Henley birdies No. 8 to get to -10
Rose birdies 7.
Young with a massive par putt on No. 5.
Young -12…5
Rory -10…5
Henley -10…8
Rose -10…7
Scheffler -9…7…after two huge par putts of his own.
And then both Rory and Young bogey No. 6!
Young -11…6
Rose -10…7
Henley -10…9
Scheffler -9…8
Rory -9…6
Goodness gracious!
Rose birdies 8! Young bogeys 7. Rory birdies 7!
Rose -11…8
Young -10…7
Rory -10…7
Henley -10…10
Scheffler -9…9
Rose birdies No. 9…-12!
Tyrrell Hatton, on fire, birdies 16…-10.
Both Young and Rory birdie the par-5 8th….
Rose -12…9
Young -11…8
Rory -11…8
Young’s drive on 9 is way right and this time he does not get a break. Getting out of the woods, he gets it back in the fairway but it’s in a divot.
Henley bogeys 12…-9. Young bogeys 9.
Rose -12…10
Rory -11…9
Young -10…9
Hatton -10…17
Henley birdies 13…-10
Hatton muffs his approach on 18…but manages to salvage par…-10.
Rose bogeys 11.
It’s….
Rory -11…10
Rose -11…11
Young -10…10
Hatton -10…F
Henley -10…13
Scheffler -9…12
Rose makes a mess of par-3 12th…bogeys it.
Rory sole leader at -11…10.
Collin Morikawa five straight birdies…Nos. 12-16…-9. Wow….
Young and Rory par the tough 11th. On to the bedeviling 12th.
Both hit great tee shots, but Young misses his birdie attempt…Rory from closer….and he birdies it!
Rory -12…12
Rose -10…12
Young -10…12
Hatton -10…F
Henley -10…15
Rose 3-putts for par on the par-5 13th…huge disappointment….
Scheffler birdies 15 to join the group at -10!
But Rory birdies 13 to get to -13…3-shot lead over the throng!
Scheffler birdies 16 for sole second at -11!
Rose birdies 15 to join Scheffler.
Rory and Young par No. 14.
Scheffler comes up an inch short of birdie on 17.
Young and Rory par No. 15.
Rory -13…15
Scheffler -11…17
Rose -11…16
Scheffler in the clubhouse at -11. [Stuff] can happen at Augusta….
Rory off the green on 16. And he hits a brilliant putt for his par…still two-stroke lead.
Young barely misses a birdie putt to get to -11. That sucks.
Two holes to go…can Rory avoid disaster?
He hits a lousy approach on 17. But he nails his chip…par…2-stroke lead heading to 18!
And Rory hits an atrocious tee shot right!!! Holy shit!
And then Cam, with a fleeting opportunity, hits his tee shot way left.
How will Rory negotiate this?
He’s in the bunker…needing up and down to avoid a playoff. The lie kind of sucks.
But he does what he has to do…should be two putts for the win…and Rory does it! Back-to-back! Career major No. 6. And win No. 30!
First to go back-to-back since Tiger, 2001-02.
—First prize this year was a whopping $4.5 million, with $2.43 million to second and $1.53 million for third.
All pros who missed the Masters cut receive $25,000. Those who made the cut earned a payout of a minimum of $55,000.
—Tiger Woods was a big part of the conversation Monday.
“He’s just a human being like everyone else and we have struggles,” Jason Day said. “It’s unfortunate. The only thing that I don’t understand is that it’s a little bit selfish of him to drive and put other people in harm’s way, as well.
“But when you’re the player that he was and how strong-willed he is, he thinks he can do almost anything,” Day said. “And that’s probably why he’s driving and a little bit under the influence.”
Nick Faldo was particularly critical of Woods in an interview with Britain’s Daily Telegraph last week when he said, “There are two sides to this right now. There’s one side that’s like…let’s care for Tiger. And then there has got to be a responsibility and accountability side as well.”
“Forget about golf. We are not meant to be on the streets with two pills in our pocket,” Faldo said. “The bottom line is that I really think that this is a serious issue and something should be done that is a little bit more serious than waving him off to a tropical island and saying, ‘Welcome back,’ in three or four months or whatever it might be.”
NBA
—The NBA regular season ends Sunday night with every team playing at 6:00 ET.
The Knicks had a nice win Thursday against the Celtics, 112-106, as Josh Hart hit two late 3s, 23 of his 26 points in the second half for New York.
And then the Knicks beat the Raptors on Friday, 112-95, to lock up the third seed, with their opponent, Toronto or Orlando, to be decided Sunday.
—The injury-riddled Lakers fell from the 3-seed to the 4 spot, after injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, which was most unfortunate, but L.A. won games against the Warriors on Thursday, 119-103, and the Suns, Friday, 101-73.
—Oklahoma City joined some exclusive company by clinching the NBA’s best record and top seed for a third straight season, the Thunder becoming only the sixth team with a three-season streak as a top playoff seed since the league went to the 16-team playoff format in 1983-84.
The other five were the 1984-88 Boston Celtics, 1984-90 Lakers, 1996-98 Chicago Bulls, 2008-10 Lakers and the 2015-17 Warriors – which all won multiple championships in that span.
—Cade Cunningham returned to the lineup Wednesday for the Pistons after being out three weeks with a collapsed lung. He looks fine and Detroit is ready for a big run.
—Joel Embiid is out again, this time being appendicitis requiring surgery. It’s not known how long he will be sidelined but Philadelphia needs him as they gear up for the play-in round.
–The big controversy in the league these days is the required minimum of 65 games to be considered for postseason awards.
For example, Victor Wembanyama will have to play on Sunday to be eligible, this being Game No. 65 for him.
Cade Cunningham is ineligible, falling short by one game.
Luka Doncic would fall short, but he’s appealing because he missed games to attend the birth of his child.
So it’s going to be between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic and Jaylen Brown, along with Wemby, as those selecting the MVP have to come up with five players and rank them one through five.
MLB
It’s kind of funny…I felt like the first 7-10 days of the season were action packed, lots of stories, particularly with the rookie class, and then it’s like the next week, the sport kind of hit a wall. Time to pick it back up again.
Or maybe that’s just because my Mets have been hard to watch with their non-existent offense, including their last three games heading into Saturday…losses to Arizona by 7-2 and 7-1 scores, and then a 4-0 loss to the Athletics Friday night, all at Citi Field.
Owner Steve Cohen has been complaining about the lack of attendance, but first, it was cold as hell Wednesday and Thursday, and second, nothing turns off a fan base more than a lack of offense.
It hasn’t helped that Juan Soto was put on the IL with a right calf strain and will likely miss another two weeks after he had gotten off to a hot start.
Saturday, the Mets lost their fourth straight, 11-6, as they finally hit some balls hard, three home runs, but starter Kodai Senga was rocked, and then former Yankees reliever Luke Weaver had his second straight dreadful outing.
The Mets fell to 7-8, and the A’s evened their mark at 7-7 after getting off to an 0-4 start.
Wake Forest’s Nick Kurtz, though, is still homerless, just two RBIs, batting only .196 but with 13 walks in 13 games.
But he’s homerless no more…Kurtz with a shot to right field, Sunday, accounting for the only run in a 1-0 win for the A’s…the Mets’ fifth straight loss.
The Mets are unwatchable and calls for the firing of manager Carlos Mendoza will grow quickly. Last year’s choke job was inexcusable, and owner Steve Cohen, and GM/President David Stearns can not afford to be patient.
That said, I’m guessing they give Mendoza 40 games.
—Over in the Bronx, on Thursday, the A’s Jeffrey Springs took a no-hitter into the 7th, and Sacramento won it 1-0, the Yanks with one hit.
New York then lost at Tampa Bay Friday and Saturday, 5-3, 5-4, and they’ve lost four straight, falling to 8-6 after their hot start.
Aaron Judge has 3 home runs and 7 RBIs in his first 14 games, with a .721 OPS. [He’s been over 1.000+ four straight seasons.] And they say his bat speed is nowhere near where it normally is.
Cody Bellinger, who is making $42.5 million this season, has one homer and five RBIs.
The Yanks then lost again, today, 5-4…Judge with a futile 2-run homer in the ninth.
So, both the Mets and Yankees have lost five straight! This does not happen too often. Us New York metropolitan area baseball fans are awful surly at this point.
—Among other tidbits the past week….
Seattle’s Cal Raleigh, he of the 60-home run season in 2025, didn’t hit his first until Game No. 11.
He then homered Saturday, Game 15, as the Mariners beat the Astros 8-7.
Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes moved to 2-1, 5.25, with 6 1/3 of one-run ball in Tuesday’s Pirates win over the Padres, 7-1.
—Wednesday, Shohei Ohtani threw six innings, zero earned, but the Blue Jays beat the Dodgers 4-3.
Friday, teammate Max Muncy hit 3 home runs, including a dramatic 2-out walk-off dinger after Edwin Diaz had blown his first save as a Dodger, L.A. winning it 8-7 over the Rangers.
—Saturday, the Pirates beat the Cubs 4-3 in 11 innings and Pittsburgh is 9-5!
And in Los Angeles, after a fast start, Mike Trout then endured a 2-for-33 slump, though Saturday he had a 2-run double in the Angels’ 7-3 loss to the Reds.
And Sunday he was 2-for-4, double and an RBI in a 9-6 win in Cincy.
–We note the passing of former Dodgers second baseman Davey Lopes, a four-time All-Star during his ten years in L.A. and one of the premier base stealers of the modern era. He was 80.
Lopes holds the franchise record for most games played at second base with 1,134.
He stole 418 of his 557 stolen bases with the Dodgers, second-highest total in franchise history behind Maury Wills (490).
He led the majors in 1975 with 77 steals and the NL in 1976 with 63. In 1978, he stole 45 bases in 49 attempts.
In 1978, Lopes hit two home runs in Game 1 against the Yankees in the World Series. [Five home runs in all that postseason]. And he won a World Series ring in 1981.
After leaving the Dodgers, Lopes played with the Athletics, Cubs and Astros, batting .263 for his career with 155 home runs, 614 RBIs, and 50 triples.
After his playing days, Lopes managed the Brewers from 2000-02.
—Major League Baseball’s average salary rose 3.4% on opening day to a record $5.34 million, according to a study by the Associated Press, with the Mets topping spending at the season’s start for the fourth straight year.
Outfielder Juan Soto is the highest-paid player for the second consecutive season at $61.9 million and was followed by the Yankees’ Cody Bellinger at $42.5 million.
Philadelphia pitcher Zack Wheeler and Mets third baseman Bo Bichette tied for third at $42 million.
The Mets’ payroll of $352.2 million was just below the record $355.4 million they set in 2023 and up from $322.6 million last year. Cleveland is the lowest-spending team this season at $62.3 million. Boy, wouldn’t have guessed that, boys and girls.
The Dodgers are second at $316.6 million. The total would be $395.2 million if deals for nine players with deferred money had not been discounted to present-day value. The Mets have deals with deferred money with just three players and their total would be $360 million without discounting.
The Yankees are third ($297.2 million), followed by Philadelphia ($282 million) and Toronto ($269 million).
The Cardinals cut their opening day payroll from $141.5 million to just $100.4 million, including $44 million it is paying Arizona and Boston as part of trades to get rid of Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras.
College Basketball
—The transfer portal is open and Wake Forest’s Juke Harris in the two rankings I saw, CBS Sports and The Athletic, was rated No.3 and No. 2. Pretty remarkable, though hardly surprising. Save for one or two pieces, Wake’s entire roster hit the portal.
Ditto Tennessee’s, and Dusty May, coach of national champ Michigan, pounced as he has before and collected the top big man in the portal, the Vols’ 6-foot-11 J.P. Estrella, a highly skilled big. [May received a contract extension as well.]
—North Carolina hired former NBA coach Michael Malone to replace Hubert Davis, and UNC immediately made him the fifth-highest paid coach in the college game.
The 54-year-old Malone had been an ESPN analyst after being fired by Denver, with which he won the 2022-23 NBA title.
—For the record, the final AP Top Ten was as follows….
- Michigan
2. UConn
3. Arizona
4. Duke
5. Illinois
6. Purdue
7. Houston
8. Iowa State
9. Florida
10. St. John’s
Premier League
As the league restarted after a break for international and FA Cup play, Friday, West Ham had a 4-0 win over the Wolves to leapfrog Tottenham into 17th place…above the relegation line.
Saturday, Arsenal fell to Bournemouth at home, 2-1, to open the door for Manchester City to get back into the race. Liverpool beat Fulham 2-0.
Then Sunday, Tottenham, playing its first game under new head coach Roberto de Zerbi, fell at Sunderland 1-0, solidifying the Spurs slot in relegation…six games to go.
And City took advantage of Arsenal’s loss, beating struggling Chelsea 3-0.
Table…played (of 38) – points
Looks like the PL is getting five Champions League berths for the 2026-27 campaign.
Arsenal…32 – 70
Man City…31 – 64 …ain’t over ‘til it’s over….
Man U…31 – 55
Aston Villa…32 – 55
Liverpool…32 – 52
Chelsea…32 – 48
- West Ham…32 – 32
18. Tottenham…32 – 30
Tottenham hasn’t won in its last 14 league games!
Stuff
–In the Frozen Four (men’s college hockey) in Las Vegas, Thursday, Wisconsin defeated North Dakota 2-1, and in double overtime, Denver beat Michigan 4-3, in what Mark R. and others said was a real classic.
So, Saturday night, Denver was gunning for its 11th NCAA title, already having more than anyone else, as well as third in the last five years.
And the Pioneers got it done, scoring two third-period goals for a 2-1 win over the Badgers, as Denver goaltender Johnny Hicks, MOP for the tournament, was again spectacular in net.
—The Department of Justice has reportedly opened a probe into the NFL over its agreements with media companies on the right to broadcast games.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the investigation is focusing on whether the NFL has engaged in anticompetitive practices that harm consumers.
This comes as members of the Trump administration and Congress and fans have raised concerns about the rising costs of streaming services and cable packages needed to view the NFL’s games.
Personally, I watch my Jets week in and week out, and whatever free national games are on, and don’t care about the rest. I get all the highlights I need on ESPN+, and subscribe to multiple publications, and I have cut out streaming entirely. [Though ESPN+ is no longer cheap, nor The Athletic and others of its ilk, for that matter.]
In other words, it’s a difficult choice on how much to pay, what to keep, what to jettison.
Top 3 songs for the week 4/15/67: #1 “Somethin’ Stupid” (Nancy Sinatra & Frank Sinatra) #2 “Happy Together” (The Turtles) #3 “This Is My Song” (Petula Clark)…and…#4 “Bernadette” (Four Tops) #5 “A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You” (The Monkees) #6 “Western Union” (The Five Americans) # 7 “I Think We’re Alone Now” (Tommy James & The Shondells) #8 “Dedicated To The One I Love” (The Mamas & The Papas) #9 “I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)” (Aretha Franklin) #10 “Jimmy Mack” (Martha & The Vandellas…A- week..)
New York Mets Quiz Answer: Top Ten in pitching wins….
Tom Seaver 198
Dwight Gooden 157
Jerry Koosman 140
Ron Darling 99
Sid Fernandez 98
Al Leiter 95
Jacob deGrom 82
Jon Matlack 82
David Cone 81
Bobby Jones 74
Brief Add-on up top by noon, Tues.
