Just a brief note. The newsletter over the next two weeks will not be as consistent. Between broadcasting baseball games and some personal obligations, I will miss a few days. If I get the chance, I will try to pump out some content, but no guarantees. Thank you for your understanding and for being a subscriber.

NFL sees some slippage

It’s not enough to cause a major concern, but you can be certain the suits at the NFL office on Park Ave. are taking note, that TV ratings for this year’s first round of the draft last Thursday were down. Televised on ESPN’s numerous platforms, the all-sports network reported the ratings dropped 3% from 2025. Still, 13.2 million people tuned in, a healthy number.

From my vantage point, I found the coverage good and thought the NFL’s reduction of time between picks from 10 minutes to eight minutes was a smart move. Look for more tweaks for next year’s draft.

As a host venue, Pittsburgh did a superb job as more than 800,000 turned out over the three days of the draft. Next year’s host city will be Washington, D.C., and it is expected more than one million people will attend.

More troubles for LIV Golf

Maybe LIV Golf will be around next season, maybe not. Louisiana officials have announced they want to postpone the LIV Golf tournament slated for New Orleans in late June, according to several reports.

It was reported yesterday that when word emerged two weeks ago that the Saudi-backed golf tour might be experiencing financial difficulties, state officials contacted the tour, seeking verification of some financial guarantees LIV had promised the state. When LIV could not back up its original promise, the tournament’s chances were jeopardized. An official announcement could come today.

Now the Yankees are the target

These sports websites love to write about the New York Yankees just to generate clicks. Remember, content is king, even if there is not a story. Now the Yankees, who are off to a terrific start, are going to have problems, some of these websites are reporting. Why? Because the first place Bombers have gotten to the top rung with some of their top players injured; namely shortstop Anthony Volpe and pitchers Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón. We are reminded, with these three due to return within a month, this is going to create “problems” for the Yankees.

Trust me. If these are the “problems” confronting the Yankees this season, they are going to be in great shape. But you’ve got to love the internet. A player might have played just a nano second for them and it is a lock “Ex-Yankee…” will headline the story just to get those clicks.

I was wrong

I thought for sure the Mets would make some major changes yesterday. I was wrong, unless you consider the release of outfielder Tommy Pham and the claiming of infielder Eric Wagaman and sending him to AAA Syracuse major. But changes are coming, unless they can reel off a huge winning streak.

Enough with the ads

I get that these teams have to uncover revenue streams wherever they turn, but the Texas Rangers are reaching new lows. Anyone watching last night’s Yankees-Rangers telecast had to notice the ad painted on the back slope of the pitcher’s mound. I’ll give you the ads painted on the field in foul territory but fair territory too? Enough already!

NIL has impact

We do live in interesting times. Sixty college basketball players have declared so far for the upcoming NBA draft. That is the lowest number since 2003. Can you blame them?

With the NIL many of these “student-athletes” are being paid handsomely - sometimes millions - to play collegiately. Why ruin a good thing by committing to a longer season and a more rigorous travel schedule, when in some cases you are making the same amount of money or even more, playing in college?

And you thought these players weren’t getting an education in school.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you for being a subscriber and have a terrific Tuesday!

DAN

The baseball universe is still trying to process the firing of Alex Cora as Red Sox manager, along with five of his coaches. With several other big league clubs floundering, will one of them reach out to hire Cora? I explore it all in the video and audio commentary.

Here are some other thoughts on what could be a manic Monday in the baseball universe:

• If Carlos Mendoza is still the Mets manager on Tuesday, when the Mets host the Washington Nationals, I will be surprised. It may not be Mendoza’s fault, but the manager always takes the fall. Just ask Alex Cora.

• With today an off day for the Mets, expect changes. There is no way owner Steve Cohen will allow the status quo. The Mets were just embarrassed by the Rockies this weekend, swept a three-game series, including dropping a doubleheader yesterday, at a near-empty Citi Field. The boos reverberated throughout the ballpark, as the Mets managed just one run in two games. Cohen cannot permit this to continue. I would not be surprised, if David Stearns, president of the Mets baseball operations, also is put on notice by his boss. Heck, he might also get fired.

• There could be several scenarios here. Maybe Mendoza stays and Stearns is shown the door. Maybe both go. But I do not see both of them still on the job come Tuesday.

• There have been rumblings that Carlos Beltran will replace Mendoza. Perhaps. Remember, the Mets hired him as manager, only to cut him loose, when he was connected to the cheating scandal in Houston. But I do not see the Mets going to someone who has never managed before, as their next manager, even though Beltran will be inducted in the Hall of Fame this summer.

• Enter Cora. I would be surprised if Cora is named Mets manager on Tuesday. My guess is he is still trying to process Saturday’s events. If the Mets ax Mendoza, perhaps they name an interim, while Cohen works out a deal with Cora. I do not see Mendoza lasting much longer. Watching his postgame news conference, after the doubleheader sweep yesterday, was revealing. His body language spoke volumes. Expect a change.

• I get the idea, watching Juan Soto in his postgame news conference, that he wishes he was crosstown with that other baseball team. Just sayin.’

• Some other numbers on which to chew. The Mets have lost 15 of 17 games, been shutout five times, including the second game of yesterday’s doubleheader, and have scored two runs or less in 14 of their 28 games.

• As of this writing, the Mets have the second highest payroll in baseball and the Phillies the fourth highest. They have the worst records in baseball at 9-19, tied for last place in the NL Eastern Division, 10.5 games behind Atlanta. Change is coming.

• By the way, give credit to the Rockies. This club has turned it around and I am not surprised. I saw a lot of these players, when they were with the Hartford Yard Goats. That Chase Dollander had the Mets eating out of his hands yesterday is not a shock. The guy can pitch. That Zach Agnos slammed the door in the ninth is also not a surprise. He has that closer’s mentality. Colorado is an improved club.

• These Red Sox players, who are peeved that Alex Cora was fired and shocked at the timing of his dismissal? And some of them upset that ownership didn’t consult them first? Get real.

• While Citi Field was more than half empty for the Mets Sunday doubleheader, Yankee Stadium was going Bananas over a certain NFL QB:

• Yankees fans have their issues with manager Aaron Boone, but I have always found him to be a class act. Yesterday, without revealing what was talked about, Boone admitted he had a long conversation in the morning with Cora. Despite being rivals on the ball field, the two have remained close friends, dating back to when they both worked as broadcasters for ESPN.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. By the time you read this, perhaps the Mets have a new manager. Thank you for subscribing!

DAN

If nothing else, you can say that Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora went out with a bang. The Red Sox ended a four-game losing streak yesterday, blasting the Baltimore Orioles, 17-1, highlighted by a 10-run ninth inning. That was not enough to save his job, however. After his post game press conference, Cora was informed he was fired, along with six of his coaches, including Red Sox icon Jason Varitek, who has reportedly been reassigned to another position within the organization. The story broke around 6:45 last night.

Cora’s latest contract with the club runs, through 2027 and according to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, he is owed $13.54M.

So let’s start there. During the New York Yankees-Houston Astros telecast on YES, Yankees voice Michael Kay speculated other managers on the hot seat would now be looking over their shoulders. I am not so sure. Prior to negotiating his latest deal with the Red Sox midway through the 2024 season, Cora speculated he might not want to keep managing. He talked about time away from his family, how the season is a grind, etc.

Cora just might decide to take the rest of the season and possibly next year off too. Why not? Now he has time to spend with his family and collect that $13M plus. Who needs the aggravation? Maybe he does some broadcasting on the side. He did work for ESPN, before becoming a Houston Astros coach.

Besides, Cora may not be the hot commodity some make him out to be. Yes, he led the Red Sox to their last World Series title in 2018, before the cheating scandal, during his Astros tenure came to light. Since then, however, he has had lukewarm success as a manager. And remember, he was fired, before the 2020 season because of that scandal only to be brought back in 2021. Maybe he just says, “The hell with it,” and collects his dough. Perhaps he says enough of the metrics, analytics, spray charts and 35 people in the front office. I’m kicking back, enjoying my family and counting my money.

On the same Yankees telecast, analyst David Cone summed it up, and I am paraphrasing here: when a manager is let go this early in the season, more than likely he and the general manager are not on the same page. That appeared to be the case with Cora and Craig Breslow, the Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer.

The more you followed the Red Sox dynamics, the more it became evident there was a disconnect between Breslow and Cora. The final straw may have been last week’s three-game sweep at the hands of the hated Yankees, in front of a lot of empty seats at Fenway Park. Not to mention the winning pitcher in the finale was Cam Schlittler, who grew up a Red Sox fan practically in Fenway’s backyard; or that one of the Yankees biggest offensive weapons has been Ben Rice, another Fenway neighbor, who grew up in eastern Massachusetts. That could not have set well with Red Sox ownership, especially as Boston managed to score just three runs in the entire series and played like a beaten team.

And therein lies the Red Sox biggest problem and the main reason I did not pick them to make the playoffs this season. Their lineup lacks the big bopper. That’s on Breslow not Cora.

In reality, the Red Sox lineup has always had many big boppers. Now they do not even have one. Back in the day, anytime the Red Sox batting order turned over, lurking were Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz back-to-back, followed by an excellent supporting cast. Now they do not have even one lethal bat in the order, let along a supporting cast.

Chad Tracy, whose dad Jim Tracy managed the Dodgers, Pirates and Rockies, has been named interim manager of the 10-17 Red Sox. Tracy was managing the Red Sox AAA club at Worcester. He played as high as AAA baseball in the Rockies system, before embarking on a managerial career.

As for Cora, he departs as the third winningest manager in Red Sox history, behind Terry Francona and Joe Cronin. He may be the lucky one, put out of his misery from watching a team that cannot get out of its own way. He can sit back and pop open a cold one. This is now Breslow’s show, every bit of it; lock, stock and barrel.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you for being a subscriber and have a superb Sunday!

DAN

After examining the first round of the NFL draft, we are once again reminded how championships are won in the trenches. I offer a perspective in the video and audio podcast.

Here is my nickel’s worth on some other sports items:

• If the Red Sox do not turn it around this weekend in Baltimore and next week in Toronto, things are going to get awfully interesting in Beantown.

• Off the Philadelphia Eagles drafting of WR Makai Lemon in the first round, I would be surprised if A.J. Brown does not become a New England Patriot.

• If the Knicks get ousted in the first round of the NBA playoffs - and they are down 2-1 to the Atlanta Hawks - how many fans are going to be wondering what might have been had Tom Thibodeau remained as coach? Remember, Knicks fans were told Thibodeau was ousted in favor of Mike Brown, because Brown was the coach who would take the Knicks “to the next level.”

• 320,000 people attended the first round of the NFL draft in Pittsburgh. That was a record, once again reminding us why the NFL is the most popular sports league in the world - 320,000 people not for a game but for an event connected to the NFL. Amazing!

• I could be wrong, but if things go south for Mike Vrabel, do not be surprised if Matt Patricia is the next coach of the New England Patriots. The Pats former DC and OC, as well as the former head coach of the Detroit Lions, has undergone a revival as DC at Ohio State. Just look at the number of defensive players from Ohio State who have been drafted in the first two rounds.

• You have to love the ESPN scroll, during the draft. When it was time for the New York Giants second round pick, the scroll reminded us among the “key departures” for the Giants in 2025 was coach Brian Daboll. He “departed” all right. Daboll was fired!

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you for being a subscriber and have a wonderful weekend!

DAN

The experts say the field in this year’s NFL draft is not the quality that will be highlighting the 2027 draft. Whatever. In the above video and podcast commentary, I explain why this draft still has my attention.

Here’s my nickels worth on some other sports topics:

• I have refrained, other than a passing mention in the newsletter, of commenting on the Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini story, but the latest developments are not a good look to say the least. The New York Post has now published photos showing Vrabel and Russini getting cozy, while enjoying drinks together at a New York bar. This was in March of 2020, when Vrabel was still coaching the Tennessee Titans. Three days later Russini had the scoop that the Titans were not interested in free agent QB Tom Brady. At the time those pictures were taken, Russini was not married and Vrabel was. That is not the point. From where I sit, what people do is their own business. But when pictures show a reporter - at the time Russini was covering the NFL for ESPN - and head coach of an NFL team, kissing and getting cozy in public, while having drinks at a bar, and a few days later said reporter has the scoop over other media outlets, it is not a good look. Period. We can talk about double standards, how male reporters are buying off certain sources to get scoops and clicks on the internet, etc. Although those are all topics worthy of discussion, the bottom line is photos of a reporter covering the NFL, seen being kissed by a head coach of an NFL team in public, six years before the same reporter was seen with the same coach, sitting in a hot tub, is tough to defend, no matter how you slice it. It is not a good look for the reporter, for journalism nor for the head coach. Russini resigned from The Athletic when the hot tub photos emerged, or she was going to face the inevitable - that her contract was not going be renewed. It is only fair to ask if Vrabel is about to lose his job too.

• If you don’t think Vrabel might be facing some heat about his job status, even though he led the Patriots to the Super Bowl in his first year as coach, then maybe the name of former New York Mets manager Mickey Callaway will ring a bell.

• WOW! Watching the start of the NFL draft from Pittsburgh last night and the thousands in attendance is really astounding. The NFL does own the sports world.

• So the Yankees go up to Boston and sweep the Red Sox a three-game series, winning by scores of 4-0, 4-1, 4-2. I do not want to take anything away from the Bronx Bombers, who took care of business. Their pitching, particularly the starting pitching, is much improved. That said, this is the weakest Red Sox lineup I can recall in a long time. Maybe the Bosox turn it around, but without a big bopper in the lineup, I do not see how. It is why I picked them not to make the playoffs this season.

• Talk all you want about the financial woes of LIV Golf, but it was the PGA Tour that announced yesterday that it was laying off 56 employees or four percent of its workforce. The Tour’s new CEO Brian Rolapp has a town hall planned next month to explain the layoffs. In the meantime, it does not take a financial wizard to reach the conclusion the PGA Tour has been hurt by the numerous big names who left for LIV Golf and how it has impacted the sport here in the U.S.

• Momentum is growing to expand the college football playoffs from 12 to 16 or even 24 teams. Count on it happening. There is too much money to be made.

  That is going to do it for today newsletter. Thank you for being a subscriber and have a fabulous Friday!

  DAN

The NFL draft launches tonight with the first round starting at 8:00 ET. ABC, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN Deportes and the NFL Network will all carry the event. Coverage of the draft has grown from a cottage industry to must-see television, while serving as an economic boom for the host city. I break it all down in the video and audio podcast, as well as remember what the draft once was.

A couple of other draft notes:

• The second and third rounds of the draft will be held Friday, April 24, starting at 7 p.m. ET.

• Rounds 4-7 of the draft will be Saturday, April 25, starting at noon ET.

Royals announce new stadium plans

I am old enough to remember when the Kansas City Royals played at Municipal Stadium in downtown Kansas City, then opened their brand new Royals Stadium in 1973. Watching a game on TV from Kansas City always brought the “Wow” factor for me, such as: “Wow, what a sparkling new stadium,” “Wow, look how clean everything looks,” “Wow look how pristine the artificial surface is.”

Royals Stadium is now Kauffman Stadium, named after the late owner of the franchise, Ewing Kauffman. And the stadium is no longer new, although it looks pretty nice to me, whenever I watch a Royals game.

Nice no longer matters. These days, it’s how can a MLB club maximize revenue? If it means a new ballpark with more luxury boxes, then build a new ballpark. After months of stories that next door state Kansas was trying to lure the Royals with a new stadium, the way they attracted the Kansas City Chiefs, the team announced yesterday they are staying put, but building a new stadium just southeast of downtown KC.

The stadium will be designed along the lines of Dodger Stadium, according to officials, in that fans will enter the park through the upper deck, then look down on the stadium, with “striking” views of the city skyline. The location will be on the site of Hallmark Cards, which will be working with the club on the project. Coincidentally the location is also near the old Municipal Stadium site, which was home to the Kansas City Athletics, before the expansion Royals played there, while the new Royals Stadium was being constructed in the city outskirts.

Again, what is wrong with the “old” ballpark?

To repeat, it is all about maximizing revenue, which is why I wonder…

How much longer can the Red Sox call Fenway Park home?

Ownership has done a superb job of renovating MLB’s oldest ballpark, but one has to ask have the Red Sox become prisoners of their own historic venue?

At what point does reality intersect with nostalgia and the Red Sox make the inevitable decision to build a new ballpark? My guess is not in my lifetime, especially since ownership announced last season plans to build a 250,000-square-foot complex across from the Green Monster on Landsdowne St. to house team headquarters and retail. That doesn’t sound like an organization that has designs on a new ballpark in my lifetime.

But while others build new, it leaves one to wonder how much money the Red Sox are leaving on the table? I suspect, with the Royals the latest team to get new digs and the Athletics new Vegas ballpark slated to open in 2028, others will be asking the same question.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Enjoy the draft and as always, thank you for subscribing and have a terrific day!

DAN

The New York Mets are a mess, even if they won last night’s game against the Minnesota Twins. I am not surprised, as I explain in the above commentary.

Here is my nickel’s worth on some other thoughts:

• I could be wrong, but I think the NFL draft, starting tomorrow, will have ratings going through the roof, even though the talent pool is not as strong as what next year’s is projected to be.

• Illinois lawmakers are racing faster than those who ran in Monday’s Boston Marathon, with a $5B stadium plan to keep the Chicago Bears from moving to northwest Indiana. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

• Word is the PGA Tour is ending its Hawaii swing. For years the tour would open a new year by playing two tournaments in Hawaii but no more, according to Sports Business Journal. Word is The Sentry tournament is ending and The Sony Open will switch to the Champions Tour. Remember, the only constant in life is change.

• Billy Donovan is leaving as coach of the Chicago Bulls. The NBA team had wiped out the front office, but wanted Donovan to stay. He decided, after six years as Chicago coach, it was time to move on. It will be interesting to see, where Donovan lands. It was rumored that he would resign and become the next coach at the University of North Carolina, but that position has already been filled. Fear not. We have not heard the last of Billy Donovan as a coach.

• Yankees-Red Sox on a Tuesday night at Fenway with temperatures in the 40s does not excite me. You?

• So Churchill Hills Downs, Inc., owner of the Kentucky Derby, has just bought the second leg of racing’s Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes. We live in a different world.

• Mike Tomlin on Sunday Night Football? Let’s just say he would not be the first coach to diss the media, only to join the media, once his ties were severed from the rough-and-tumble world of the NFL.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

DAN

Kudos to Matt Fitzpatrick for winning the RBC Heritage Classic, a top tier PGA Tour event. Fitzpatrick beat Scottie Scheffler by one stroke in a one-hole sudden death playoff yesterday. It is the second time Fitzpatrick has won the RBC and his fourth PGA Tour victory. He won the U.S. Open in 2022, so he can hang a major tournament victory on his mantel. Coincidentally he beat out Scheffler by one stroke in that Open, the same golfer he defeated yesterday in sudden death. Good for him. He might be the hottest golfer on the PGA Tour. So what is my beef?

I have a problem with the fans yelling “U-S-A” every time Fitzpatrick steps up to hit a shot. You see, Fitzpatrick is a native of Sheffield, England. He went to school at Northwestern University in the good old U.S.A. and his brother Alex played golf on the Wake Forest University golf team, the same team that once had Arnold Palmer as a member.

Look. I am a U.S. citizen, born and bred in this country, proud of my Italian heritage. But one of the many things that makes me proud to be a U.S. citizen is being welcoming to those who are not. Rooting against Fitzpatrick or simply chiding him with “U-S-A” chants, simply because he was born in England, I find to be disrespectful. That was the case, however, every time Fitzpatrick stepped over a golf ball down the stretch of his exciting win over Scheffler, arguably the world’s top golfer and currently second in the FedEx points standings behind Cameron Young.

Root for Scottie Scheffler, until your throat is hoarse. Scream for any U.S.-born golfer, until you cannot be heard, if that is your cup of tea. Shouting “U-S-A” every time a golfer in contention not from the United States steps over a golf ball is not what we are all about. We did not scream it when Gary Player took a shot or Seve Ballesteros, Greg Norman, Nick Faldo, Nick Price or a million other foreign-born golfers who made it big on the PGA Tour. We should not be doing it now. Why do you think Fitzpatrick cupped his ear after he clinched the victory?

This is not the Ryder Cup. Root for or against a golfer until you are blue in the face. Rooting against the golfer because he was not born in the U-S-A? You’ve lost me. We are a better country than that. It’s time we showed it.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you for subscribing.

DAN

A dear friend of mine, who lives and breathes the New York Giants, called me a couple of weeks ago, when news broke that Giants DT Dexter Lawrence wanted to be traded, if the Giants did not renegotiate his contract. His exact words were, “Trade him for a first round draft pick!”

The Giants have answered the call. Saturday, New York dealt Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals for a first round pick - number 10 overall in this week’s draft.

If you are a long, suffering New York Giants fan, and I am one of many, things continue to get more interesting with a new sheriff in town. With the coach John Harbaugh era well underway, change is the name of the game. Lawrence wanted out and the Giants were more than accommodating. That they managed to snag a number one pick, for a player coming off of a down season and demanding a new contract - even though he is among the game’s highest paid players - is itself a victory. That the normally conservative Bengals were the takers, makes it more amazing.

Suddenly, the Giants are an even more compelling story, entering Thursday night’s NFL draft with the fifth and tenth, first round selections. They are one of six teams with two first round picks, making for what could be a busy narrative leading up to the start of first round.

Meanwhile, Lawrence’s demand for a new-contract-or-trade-me deal, may speak volumes about Harbaugh more than Lawrence. You wanted out? Harbaugh said “you’re out.”

There are whispers Lawrence is not the hardest worker, when it comes to preparation. It is no secret Camp Harbaugh expects to be a grueling one, something Lawrence might not have wanted to be a part of, thus the unrealistic demand, coming off of that less-than-stellar season. Until he proves otherwise, Lawrence will have to live with those whispers.

As for the Giants, no whispering is needed. There is a new sheriff in town and he let it be known on Saturday.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you for subscribing and have a splendid Sunday!

DAN

Jackie Robinson Day is always a special day throughout baseball and the Hartford Yard Goats, AA-affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, make it extra special. For example, in 2025, the Yard Goats invited Jackie Robinson’s grandson to the game. This season, the Goats did it again, welcoming Mo’ne Davis to throw out the first pitch and speak to the crowd, before the game with the Richmond Flying Squirrels.

Davis set the sports world ablaze at the 2014 Little League World Series, when she became the first female to win a LLWS game, pitching a shutout and gaining international attention. As one of the Yard Goats broadcasters, I had the chance to interview Mo’ne before the game, which you can access above.

Making the evening more exciting was the fact, Mo’ne’s catcher in the LLWS game was Scott Bandura, who now plays for the Flying Squirrels, the Giants AA affiliate. Mo’ne threw out the first pitch to Bandura, whose dad coached that LL team and was also in attendance. Trey Wilson, the “Voice of the Flying Squirrels,” did a great job of capturing the moment and juxtaposing the pictures on social media with the two, when they were LLWS teammates. The post has already received tens-of-thousands of views on X. Here it is:

All in all, it was a special night and Mo’ne, who spoke glowingly of Jackie Robinson in our interview, served as an inspiration to all of us.

As always, thank you for subscribing to the newsletter and I hope you enjoy the interview, as much as I enjoyed doing it.

DAN

The push is on by the NFL to launch a Wednesday night football broadcast. Why? I break it down in the video/podcast and why WNF and an 18-game regular season go hand-in-hand.

Azzi Fudd first pick

UConn basketball star Azzi Fudd was the first pick in last night’s WNBA draft, chosen by the Dallas Wings. It marks the second straight year Dallas has used the number one overall selection to draft a UConn player. Last year the Huskies drafted Paige Bueckers first.

Rooting for Dickie V

Dick Vitale has been an inspiration for millions, not the least of which is because he has been an open book. In recent years, the 86-year-old Vitale has battled cancer. Yesterday he released the results of his latest pet scan and how he is in another cancer-battle. ESPN also added a social media post on X.

Here is hoping for nothing but the best for this true sports icon.

You are not seeing things

Here is Garrett Crochet’s pitching line for the Red Sox in last night’s game at Minnesota:

Crochet threw 55 pitches, as the Twins essentially took batting practice against him.

How often do you see this?

The top four active home run leaders in MLB were in last night’s Yankees-Angels game at Yankee Stadium:

Clicks…clicks…clicks

We live in a media world of clicks and no more proof of this are the numerous social media posts about MLB. It’s not just the fans, either. Supposed reputable sites like The Athletic are going into a deep dive about what is wrong with New York’s MLB teams.

Chill, please. It is not even mid-May. After Sunday’s loss to Tampa Bay, which completed a three-game sweep of the Yankees, New York had lost five straight after an 8-2 start. Reading these stories, you have thought it was the end of the world.

Can you imagine if social media was around in 1961? The ‘61 Yankees, reputed to be one of the best teams in MLB history, started out 17-15-1. Imagine the outrage with a team just two games above .500 20 percent through the season?

The Yankees finished 109-53-1 and beat the Cincinnati Reds in five games to capture the World Series.

The point is, quit dividing the season into 162 World Series games. A baseball season has its ups-and-downs and clubs that can identify the rhythms of a season, while pinpointing how to address a team’s particular weaknesses, will win out in the long run. In other words, ignore the click bait.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. With a busy schedule coming up with Hartford Yard Goats broadcasts, I will not be as consistent with the newsletters this week. Thank you for your understanding and support.

DAN

Kudos to Rory McIlroy for winning the Masters. McIlroy fended off several challengers down the stretch, including the on charging Scottie Scheffler, a two-time Mast…

Read more

Two-and-a-half weeks into the 2026 MLB season and already some fans are in a panic. Now is a good time - as I state in the video/podcast - to remind the baseball faithful that with a 162-game season, it is a marathon not a sprint.

“Moving Day” lives up to expectations

There is a reason they call the third round at the Masters “moving day.” That is when scores can move in a nano second. Such was the case yesterday, when defending Masters champion Rory McIlroy blew a six-stroke lead, the largest ever in Masters history entering the third round. At one point McIlroy fell behind by one stroke but by the time the sun set at Augusta National, he was tied for the lead with the hottest golfer anywhere, Cameron Young. Both will enter today’s final round tied for the lead at 11-under-par.

It should be quite a finish, with several golfers within shouting distance, including one of my picks, two-time Masters winner Scottie Scheffler. The world’s number one golfer rejoined the conversation with a seven-under-par 65. At seven-under for the tournament, he is four strokes off the lead.

The leaderboard is populated with several big name golfers, including Justin Rose, former Masters winner Patrick Reed, former U.S. Open and PGA Tournament winner Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele and Brooks Koepka. Today’s final round should be fun to watch.

By the way, in case you are wondering, when you factor in endorsements, etc. here are golf’s recent top money earners over the last year:

FDR was a big baseball fan

On this date in 1945, as World War II was nearing an end, the world was shocked, as President Franklin D. Roosevelt died of a cerebral hemorrhage in Warm Springs, GA. Roosevelt was a big baseball fan, who was known to run World Series pools out of the White House. He also loved throwing out the first pitch at Washington Senators games.

No investigation is going to stop the NFL

The story broke on Friday that the U.S. Justice Department is investigating the NFL’s practice of removing more games from legacy television and offering them to streaming services. Well, the latest word has the NFL yanking five more games from over-the-air television to put together a package for Wednesday nights, Christmas Eve and an additional game on Black Friday. The legacy networks can bid on the package but streamers are the league’s target.

If you think the country’s most popular sports league has tapped out its television revenue, think again. Not even a government investigation can stop the greed that is the NFL.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. As always, thank you for subscribing and have a splendid Sunday!

DAN

Over the last 48 hours a couple of stories, involving Major League Baseball have emerged that is good news for the sport. I break it down in the video and podcast.

Here are some other thoughts on this “turn day” at the Masters:

• No golfer has ever had a six-stroke lead after two rounds of the Masters - let that sink in for just a moment - until now. Defending champion Rory McIlroy enters today’s third round with a six-stroke lead. He is in the catbird seat.

• By the way, only three golfers have defended their Masters tournament victories: Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods.

• How great is it to watch a sporting event and not see one spectator, excuse me, patron, on their cellphone? If you watch the Masters this weekend checkout the crowd - sorry haughty Masters Pooh-bahs. “Patrons” attending Augusta National cannot have cell phones. Watching those in attendance not holding up their cellphones and actually focusing on the golfers is a throwback to a more innocent time.

• Bryson DeChambeau missed the cut at the Masters. Of course he did. He was among the three golfers I picked to win. Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm were the others.

• To those opposed to the city connect uniforms in MLB, you are entitled to your opinion. My opinion? I like them. Yes, it is all about marketing and creating more revenue for MLB, but what is wrong with that? Besides, the creativity on display with these jersey is awesome. I just wish the New York Yankees would not be a lone hold out. What they should do is start a contest and let the fans design a New York Yankees city connect jersey. I think the contest itself would be a grand slam.

• I hope the New York Giants football players are prepared, because they are in for a training camp the likes they have never experienced. Maybe that is the real reason Dexter Lawrence wants out.

• IMHO, I do not give a rats piece of cheese if a New York Times (The Athletic) reporter is seen hanging out at a hotel pool with an NFL head coach. That said, in this day and age one must assume they are always on camera. Just sayin’.

• If the New York Yankees lose two out of three at Tampa Bay this weekend, expect some lineup changes. We no longer live in an era, when the mantra is “The season is young.” These days the season ceases being young after 10 games.

• Put me on record as rooting for Tony Vitello, the new manager of the San Francisco Giants. You cannot tell me there is a certain element out there that is hoping he fails, simply because he never played, managed or coached in the major leagues until now. Vitello is making headlines because he went from college coaching (Tennessee) directly to managing a major league team. On that premise alone, there is a certain faction rooting against him. Sad! I am rooting for him. I know there are people out there claiming you have to pay your dues, but it’s not as if Vitello was pulled off the streets and hired to manage the Giants. He was plying his trade at the collegiate level and there is nothing wrong with that.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you for subscribing and have a sensational Saturday!

DAN

I always liked Kevin Pillar and what he brought to the table as a baseball player, but his take on the fight between the Los Angeles Angels and the Atlanta Braves is way off base, as I explain in this video.

Here are some other thoughts on this second Friday in April:

• MLB released its latest city connect uniforms. What do you think? I like the Orioles, as long as you are asking:

• Dodger Stadium opened on this date in 1962. The defending NL champion Reds beat the Dodgers, 6-3, before 52,564 fans. The game featured five future managers. Eddie Kasko, Cookie Rojas and Frank Robinson were in the Reds lineup, while Maury Wills and Frank Howard played for the Dodgers. Once considered the Taj Mahal of baseball, the stadium is now the third oldest in MLB. Only Fenway Park and Wrigley Field are older. The park recently underwent a half billion dollar renovation to bring it up to 21st Century standards.

• To those who like to disparage the WNBA, as a league that has a minimal fanbase, well everyone is entitled to their opinion. The league, however, is a big deal and all you need do is look at what the cost is to buy a franchise. That is a measuring stick. That said, check the upgrade of the Indiana Fever’s practice digs, beginning with this entrance:

• Cable-TV maybe near life-support, but the NCAA men’s national championship basketball game between Michigan and UConn was the highest rated in seven years. The game was televised on TBS, a cable tv-only outlet.

• The U.S. Justice Department’s investigation of the NFL is an attention grabber, as the government examines whether a shift to streaming is another money grab. My take? It’s a money grab and nothing is going to happen.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. As always, thank you for subscribing and have a fabulous Friday!

DAN

The Masters tees off today. Now you know spring has officially arrived.

In the video I talk about the following:

• The golfers to watch

• Why picking a winner is a challenge

• The Norman-Faldo feud has returned

Here are some other thoughts on this second Thursday in April:

• The Masters has a no cell phone policy and they mean it.

• Word is golfer Mark Calcavecchia was kicked off the Augusta National grounds, because he had a cell phone. Rules are rules.

• Scottie Scheffler may be the world’s number one ranked golfer, but he came in third in total earnings last year, behind Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy. Don’t feel sorry for any of them, however, as they each brought in $80M over the last year.

• We brought you Dawn Staley’s statement in yesterday’s newsletter, so in the interest of fair play, Geno Auriemma issued his second statement in the aftermath of last Friday night’s fiasco, and this time he mentioned Dawn by name:

• The NCAA men’s basketball national championship game between Michigan and UConn brought in 14.2M viewers, according to reports.

• Best of luck to my Richmond, VA compadres in the opening of their brand new ballpark, CarMax Park. The new digs for the Eastern League’s Richmond Flying Squirrels opened on Tuesday night, in front of a sellout crowd. Altoona furnished the opposition:

• And speaking of the Eastern League, how about the Portland Sea Dogs opener against New Hampshire on Tuesday night? New Hampshire, Toronto’s AA affiliate, scored eight runs without benefit of a hit with two outs, as part of a 10-run inning against the Red Sox affiliate. Walks and wild pitches were the culprits in the inning of all innings.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. As always, thank you for subscribing and have a terrific Thursday!

DAN

Michigan is the national champion in men’s college basketball. How did I do in my bracket? I break it down in the video. Below is the bracket.

Here are some other thoughts on this second Wednesday in April:

• South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley says “It is time to turn the page,” following Geno Auriemma’s dust-up with her in Friday night’s semifinal game against UConn. Below is the statement:

• To be honest, I liked my solution better. Geno needed to invite Dawn up to his Italian restaurant in Manchester, CT. The two could have broken bread, had dinner with some of Geno’s branded wine and then met the media, as they departed from the restaurant. The story would have played much better IMHO.

• Speaking of dinner…The champion’s dinner at the Master’s was last night, hosted by defending champion Rory McIlroy. Word is elk was on the menu. Wonder how this dinner tradition started? Glad you asked. Ben Hogan was the catalyst. Below is the invite letter he sent out for the first dinner:

• Word is more than 2,000 players have entered the transfer portal for college basketball next season. To think, I am old enough to remember when college athletes went to school to get an education.

• Can we stop with the comments about the Big 10 trifecta? Yes, the winners of the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball titles and the college football national championship were all from the Big 10 Conference. A qualifier needs to be added, however. The Big 10 now has 18 members, including four former Pac 12 schools. In fact, the winner of the women’s hoop title, UCLA, was a member of the Pac 12.

• UCLA’s dismantling of South Carolina in the women’s national championship game drew almost 10M viewers on ABC. The 9.8M viewers drew a 3.9 rating on Easter Sunday.

• Two weeks into the MLB season and my pick of the Cubs to win the NL Central does not look good. One injury after another is decimating the lineup. The latest player to go down is one of the Cubbies top pitchers, Cade Horton, who finished runner up in last season’s NL Rookie of the Year voting. Horton will miss the season, after suffering damage to his ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He will go under the knife soon, but what type of surgery has not been determined. He did have Tommy John surgery in 2021, while a freshman at Oklahoma.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you for being a subscriber and have a wonderful Wednesday!

DAN

The Geno Auriemma meltdown against coach Dawn Staley at Friday night’s NCAA women’s semifinal game against South Carolina will not die down. Here is my solution on how the issue can be settled. Among the suggestions:

• Food

• Wine

• Common interests

• Tremendous photo op

It is all there for the taking, as long as Geno makes the first move.

Here are some other thoughts on this first Tuesday in April:

• The Michigan Spartans held off the UConn Huskies last night, 69-63, to win the NCAA men’s basketball national championship. Michigan pulled ahead in the first-half and UConn had to play catch-up the rest of the way. Connecticut cut the lead to four points inside of a minute, but the Spartans were able to hold off the charge.

• We can now put the Dan Hurley-to-North Carolina rumors to rest. The Tar Heels new men’s hoops coach will be Michael Malone, the former coach of the NBA’s Denver Nuggets. When last seen, Malone was fired days before the Nuggets were about to go to the NBA playoffs. However, his track record includes an NBA title, which he won in 2022-23.

• John Ourand of Puck News is reporting more layoffs are coming to ESPN. The changing media landscape, i.e. cord-cutting, etc., is leading to the workforce shrinkage. According to Ourand, ESPN has lost 40 percent of its cable and satellite subscribers in the last 10 years. Do not look for the bleeding to stop anytime soon. That is why these sports leagues and the networks that carry them are fretting. A dwindling subscriber base means reduced revenue.

• The Mets have moved their night games tonight and tomorrow against Arizona to day games, because of the cold weather forecast. The White Sox have moved their game against the Orioles tonight to this afternoon because of similar weather. The Yankees did not move the start of their 7:05 game tonight. Apparently it gets colder at Citi Field than Yankee Stadium. BTW, maybe there was a reason teams in the northeast and midwest did not schedule night games until late April or early May back in the day.

• Don’t look now but the Red Sox are 2-8, after dropping an 8-6 decision to Milwaukee at Fenway Park last night. As the Sox continued to falter, fans once again broke out chanting “sell the team.” Red Sox management is vowing to stay the course.

• Bring on the Masters, my favorite golf tournament. And speaking of favorites, Scottie Scheffler is the favorite to win another green jacket. I will have my pick later this week.

• So New York Giant defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, who has had a solid career with the Giants but is coming off of a down year, wants to be traded because the team will not renegotiate his contract. Lawrence is entering the third year of a four-year $90M deal. Lawrence says he will not attend the Giants offseason workout program that starts today. I say trade him for a first round draft pick.

• Juan Soto going on the 10-day injured list with a calf strain is not good news for the New York Mets. Soto rarely misses time due to injury and especially not for this length. When you read 10-day IL figure his absence from the lineup will be longer than that. The Mets do not have a lethal lineup, I do not care how hot Mark Vientos is at the moment. Soto being sidelined will have its impact on the Mets, for sure.

• You know it is the first, full week of April. The sports websites clamoring for content are overwhelming readers with the upcoming NFL draft. Can you blame them? There is plenty of material and the NFL is in the news 24/7, even when games are not being played. The draft in particular is a big story generator. Expect many pieces in the next three weeks.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. As always, thank you for being a subscriber and have a terrific Tuesday!

DAN

As predicted in the newsletter last week, the rumblings about North Carolina going after UConn basketball coach Dan Hurley are growing. Is it just smoke and mirrors or is there something to it? I break it down, along with a look at tonight’s national championship game between UConn and Michigan, in the podcast.

Here are some other thoughts on this Easter Monday:

• Note the start of the tonight’s championship game. It will tip-off at 8:50 PM-ET, 30 minutes earlier than the former tip-off time.

• I do not want to pile on UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma, following his horrendous display against South Carolina coach Dawn Staley at the end of Friday’s semifinal game, however: the fact he issued a written, blanket apology to the South Carolina staff and team, without mentioning Staley by name, smacks as nothing more than a damage-control-press release compiled by the UConn PR department. Auriemma needed to personally say, “I am sorry to coach Dawn Staley and her staff, team and program.” He did not. The reaction on social media was the same, as many thought it was a half-hearted mea culpa.

• The fact the UConn men defeated Illinois to advance to tonight’s championship game, along with UCLA annihilating Staley’s South Carolina team, 79-51, in yesterday’s women’s national championship game are the two biggest favors Auriemma could have received over the weekend. It has essentially relegated his meltdown to the back burner. Make no mistake, however, Auriemma’s lukewarm apology is percolating below the surface, as evidenced by this:

• Michael Voepel, who covers women’s college basketball for ESPN, writes that “Of the 12 times a team has defeated UConn in the semis, only three have then won the championship.”

• There may be more annoying things than the incessant organ music and sound effects that blare after every pitch, during a game at Yankee Stadium; it’s just that I haven’t found them yet. Give me the days of organist Eddie Layton.

• I have written in previous newsletters, I did not think the Red Sox were a playoff team, however, even I did not think their shortcomings would be exposed this soon.

• Yes, I did predict the Pittsburgh Pirates would be a wild card team this year. They are off to a splendid 6-3 start, after sweeping the Orioles this weekend. Then again, I picked the Orioles to make the playoffs too. I know this is a very small sample size, but April baseball is fun.

That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you for being a subscriber and have a magnificent Monday.

DAN

It is not a happy Saturday for fans of the UConn women’s basketball team, as South Carolina avenged last season’s NCAA women’s championship game loss to the Huski…

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