Top-o-the-morning all and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
If there is a way to make money, the multibillion dollar Dodgers will unearth it, even if it means an end around so as not to corrupt an iconic name. It leaves you to wonder if the Yankees and Red Sox will be next. I break it down in the video and podcast.
Here are some other thoughts on this St. Patrick’s Day, 2026:
Yes, I have already gotten the jump, having a delicious corned beef sandwich yesterday. Will have another one today.
As the U.S. prepares to play in tonight’s WBC final against either Italy or Venezuela, Aaron Judge is correct to say the WBC is “Bigger and better than the World Series.” Judge mentioned how passionate the fans are, as one of the reasons he believes this, and he is correct. Even though some players on teams such as Venezuela, Italy, Mexico, etc. may be from the United States, they have ties to the other teams. Plus, baseball in countries such as Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, is hugely popular. The format of the WBC itself, lends to the excitement. Once a team emerges from pool play, it is win or go home. Every game, from the quarterfinals through the semifinals and the finals, is the seventh game of the World Series. That is why there is so much excitement and that is why television ratings for the WBC have been strong. Enjoy tonight’s finish.
I have filled out my NCAA men’s tournament bracket:
Check this out. An 81-year-old man wants to tryout for the Savannah Bananas:
Turns out the NCAA selection committee found a compromise by picking Miami of Ohio to participate in the play-in round of the men’s basketball tournament. Miami was 30-0, before losing in the first round of the MAC Tournament last Thursday against Massachusetts. Normally, only the winner of a mid-major conference tournament advances.
Rumblings are the NBA will launch the process of adding two expansion teams with Las Vegas and Seattle the front runners. If the NBA returns to Seattle, I hope the team resurrects the Supersonics name.
Do you like the pitch clock in MLB? I do. But batters have found a way to slow the game down a bit, by being permitted a stoppage in play once, during each at bat. I have always thought this should not be permitted, and in fact, it has become customary for batters to request a time out during each at bat and that has added to the average time of games. Well, MLB is going back to the minor leagues as a testing ground again this season with numerous changes, including the time out request, during an at bat. In low-A ball this season, batters will not be allowed to request a time out, unless there is a special circumstance and in AA ball (Where I broadcast with the Hartford Yard Goats) hitters will still be permitted the one time out request per at bat, but the minute they step out of the box the pitch clock starts again, whereas before it did not. And pitchers will be permitted just one throw to a base, not two, before a balk is called if the runner is not picked off. Bring it on!
That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you for being a subscriber and have a splendid St. Patrick’s Day!
DAN
