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Bar Chat

04/21/2025

NBA, MLB, Justin Thomas back in the winner's circle....

[Posted Sunday p.m.]

Brief Add-on up top by noon, Tuesday.

Baseball Quiz: The Athletics’ franchise was in Philadelphia (1901-1954), Kansas City (1955-67), Oakland (1968-2024), and now Sacramento.  1) Name the only five to hit 250 home runs in franchise history, two of them old-timers (pre-1960). 2) Name the top three in hits, No. 1 at 1,882.  One old-timer in the mix. Answers below.

NBA Playoffs

--Going back to last Tuesday, Golden State outlasted Memphis in the Play-In Tournament to secure the No. 7 and a date with No. 2 Houston, 121-116, as “Playoff Jimmy” Butler poured in 38 points, Steph Curry with 37, including 15 in the final quarter.

It’s why the Warriors went after Butler.  When they acquired him they were 11th in the Western Conference and have gone 24-8 since making the deal.

Butler has a career regular-season scoring average of 18.3 points per game, but is 21.3 in the playoffs.

Memphis then beat the Mavericks to secure the No. 8 seed with a 120-106 win.  The Grizzlies and the immensely unlikable Ja Morant face Oklahoma City.

In the East, the Magic wrapped up the 7-seed and a battle vs. Boston, while the Heat took the No. 8 seed in beating the Hawks Friday, 123-114.  Miami squares off vs. 1 Cleveland.

--So this set up Saturday’s first-round action, and for us Knicks fans, Game 1 vs. the Pistons at the Garden was going to be a tension convention.  The last six times the Knicks lost a first-round playoff game at home, they lost the series.

And with this in mind, New York trailed Detroit 91-83 after three, only to have backup guard Cam Payne and Jalen Brunson go off in the fourth quarter, Payne with 11 of his 14 points, Brunson with 12 of his 34, the Knicks, down eight with 9:16 to play going on a stunning 21-0 run over the next 4 ½ minutes, cruising 123-112.

Brunson started the game 2 of 13 from the field and then made 10 of his next 14.

Karl-Anthony Towns had 23 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and four steals as he too was huge down the stretch.

But it was the energy supplied by Cam Payne that was critical.  Job well done. Game 2 on Monday.

In other games of note, the T’Wolves whipped the Lakers in L.A., 117-95, as Minnesota hit a stunning 21 of 42 from 3.

The Pacers beat the Bucks, 117-98.  Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard was practicing again after being cleared of a blood clot in his right calf, but he didn’t dress for Game 1.  He will probably play in Game 2, Tuesday.

Sunday, the Thunder destroyed the Grizzlies, 131-80!  Memphis hit 6 of 34 from 3 and had 22 turnovers.  Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t even have a good game for OKC, 15 points, 4 of 13 from the field.  No matter.

--In College Basketball, Duke’s Kon Knueppel became the first of Duke’s Big Three freshman to declare for the NBA Draft, where he’s undoubtedly going to be a high first-round selection.  All eyes on Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach, who will to declare before the April 26 deadline.

Duke will be reloading with another outstanding incoming class of freshmen, but they need to hold onto Isaiah Evans, the sharpshooter who is no doubt able to work out a hefty NIL package from any number of basketball powers.  Come to Winston-Salem, Isaiah!  The Deacs supposedly have money.

MLB

--Thursday night during the Yankees’ 6-3 win over the Rays in Tampa, Jazz Chisholm Jr. was ejected and then appeared to violate Major League Baseball’s social media policy when he posted in-game criticism online.

Chisholm was ejected in the seventh inning by plate umpire John Bacon for arguing after a called third strike on a full-count pitch from Mason Montgomery that appeared low, his fifth career ejection and first with the Yankees.

He posted on his X account, “Not even...close!!!!!” with a profanity mixed in, then deleted the post.

MLB’s regulations ban the use of electronic devices during games.  The social media policy prohibits “displaying or transmitting content that questions the impartiality of or otherwise denigrates a major league umpire.”

“I didn’t think before I had anything that I said was ejectable but after probably,” Chisholm said.

“I lost my emotions, I lost my cool,” he added. “I got to be better than that.”

Chisholm is not a real bright guy.  He was fined an undisclosed amount and suspended one game.  He said he planned to appeal, which is further stupidity since he’ll lose it.  He’s batting .160.

The Yanks then won on Friday at Steinbrenner Field, 1-0, behind Carlos Rodon, but suffered a bad loss Saturday, 10-8 in 10 innings, as closer Devin Williams blew an 8-4 lead, allowing the Rays to tie it.

Williams is not ready for New York and the media scrutiny.  He has a 9.00 ERA in nine games and he’s been heard in the clubhouse complaining about all the media.  If he doesn’t perform at the Stadium, he is going to hear the boos and it seems clear he won’t react well to them. 

The Yanks (14-8) bounced back today behind another sterling effort from Max Fried (4-0, 1.42), 7 2/3, as New York beat Tampa 4-0.  Mr. Fried is earning his contract.

--Meanwhile, my Mets lost their last two in Minnesota, Tuesday and Wednesday, came home for a 4-game series against the Cardinals and won the first three, heading into Sunday’s finale.

Thursday, New York beat St. Louis 4-1 behind Griffin Canning’s six strong.  Friday, in a truly great baseball game, back and forth all the way, the Mets pulled it out 5-4 on Francisco Lindor’s dramatic walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth, his first as a Met and career home run No. 250.

Saturday, it was Kodai Senga’s turn, Senga (3-1, 0.79) going the first 5 2/3 and the sterling bullpen completing the task, 3-0, Pete Alonso with an RBI double and a 443-foot bomb for his sixth homer (23 RBIs), and Juan Soto with two hits and an RBI, as he shows signs of breaking out of his early funk.

And the Metropolitans (15-7) completed the 4-game sweep today, 7-4, Soto with two more hits and 3 RBIs, Clay Holmes with six strong.

It’s the first time since 1986 that the Mets swept a 4-game series with the Cards.

And it’s important the Mets are 9-1 at home, as they have been drawing great crowds, even with the generally lousy spring weather.

--In other games Saturday, the Dodgers (15-7) fell to the Rangers (13-8) in Arlington, 4-3, L.A. without Shohei Ohtani, out on paternity leave.  His wife gave birth to their first child, a girl, on Saturday.  Congrats to Shohei and his wife, Mamiko Tanaka.

[Ohtani returned Sunday in L.A.’s 1-0 victory, going 0-for-3.]

Cleveland (11-9) beat Pittsburgh (8-14) 3-0, which I only mention because Paul Skenes took the loss, now 2-2, 2.87, giving up two earned in seven innings.

Skenes hasn’t been overpowering thus far, 30 strikeouts in 31 1/3, compared to last season when he had 170 in 133 innings.  But he’s been effective.

In tonight’s ESPN game, the Padres (15-6) are at the Astros (10-10), Houston having taken the first two, 6-4 and 3-2.

And I have to mention another from Sunday...The Reds obliterated the Orioles in Baltimore, 24-2, and while I haven’t seen the details yet, it had to be the greatest performance ever from the No. 8 and 9 hitters in the lineup.

Batting 8th, Noelvi Marte went 5-for-7, a home run, two doubles, 7 RBIs, while the No. 9 batter, journeyman catcher Austin Wynns, 34 and with just 636 career at-bats in the big leagues, went 6-for-7, a home run and 6 ribbies!  Goodness gracious!

However, the stats were padded off position players, pressed into service to save the Orioles’ pen.  So...never mind....

--Atlanta’s star pitcher Spencer Strider made his debut on Wednesday in a loss against Toronto, delivering five innings in what also served as his first appearance since missing almost the entirety of the 2024 campaign after undergoing elbow surgery last April.

Strider struck out five in five innings (allowing two earned), but the fifth K gave him 500 for his career, making him the quickest primary starter to that mark...just 334 innings.

Atlanta desperately needs a healthy Strider, just 6-13 after Friday’s 6-4 win over the Twins. Chris Sale is off to a miserable start, 0-2, 6.63 ERA in his first four starts, after winning the Cy Young Award last season.  [Strider was fourth in the Cy Young voting in 2023.]

The Braves did win again Saturday, 4-3...now 7-13.

And they won Sunday, 6-2...8-13, the Twinkies a miserable 7-15.

--Colorado’s Kris Bryant is back on the IL with lumbar degenerative disc disease.  It was after the 2021 season that the Rockies signed him to a 7-year, $182 million contract and in his first three seasons, 2022-2024, he played in 170 of a possible 486 games, just over 30 percent.

So he’s Colorado’s Anthony Rendon.

--Commissioner Rob Manfred met with President Trump at the White House on Wednesday, an MLB spokesman confirmed.  The specifics of their discussion were not immediately clear, and the White House did not comment that day.

But MLB issued a statement Thursday saying Manfred “was pleased to visit the White House again to discuss issues pertaining to baseball with the president.”

In late February, Trump said he would posthumously pardon Pete Rose, but at the time, Trump did not specify what he would pardon Rose for, though Rose served five months in prison after pleading guilty to tax evasion charges in 1990.

Trump previously called for Rose to be elected to the Hall of Fame and said MLB “didn’t have the courage or decency” to allow him in.

A pardon wouldn’t directly make Rose eligible for the Hall, but Manfred is supposedly considering a petition by Rose’s family to have him posthumously reinstated from MLB’s ineligible list, which could lead to his eventual selection to the Hall.

But it’s still unclear if this was the focus of the visit.

--A Los Angeles Times piece notes: “Fans are more likely to develop a lifelong baseball habit if they attend a game as a kid, according to research cited by the commissioner’s office. Can a family of four afford hundreds of dollars to enjoy a day at the ballpark?”

“That inability to have that family experience is an incredible negative if you’re just going for the green,” said Andy Dolich, who has run marketing operations for teams in all the major North American sports leagues. “That’s where you are building your fan bases of the future.”

Commissioner Manfred challenged the notion that baseball tickets have become too expensive in an interview with the Times. The 30 major league teams sold a combined 71 million tickets last year, the most in seven years, and attendance has increased every year since the pandemic.

“If we had an affordability problem, I think you would see it in terms of those numbers,” Manfred said.  “Those numbers tell you the opposite.”

According to the league, tickets for $20 or less were available for 70% of MLB games last season.  No Dodgers game this season is currently on sale at that price.

The estimated price for a family of four to see a game at Dodger Stadium this season – four of those cheap tickets, parking, four hot dogs, two beers and two sodas – was a league-high $399.68.  The league average, according to a study released this month: $208.

The cheapest ticket at Dodger Stadium, available only for a Wednesday afternoon game against the Marlins, before school lets out: $38.  For four seats that day, parking, four hot dogs, and four sodas, the price would be $249.96.

In 2015, the Dodgers’ average ticket price was $29, according to Team Marketing Report.  A decade later – after winning the World Series twice and signing Shohei Ohtani as the crown jewel of a superstar-studded roster – the range of cheapest available prices per game ranged from $38 to $156.

“You can’t have it all ways, right?” Manfred said.  “The Dodgers have made a massive financial commitment in terms of players, and they have to run a business that supports that massive financial commitment.”

But across town, the Angels are different.  They offer a $44 family pack – four tickets, four hot dogs and four drinks – at more than half their home games.  They also feature a “Junior Angels” kids’ club, with a $20 membership that includes four game tickets.

Parking is $20 at Angel Stadium and $40 at Dodger Stadium.

Separately, Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times had a piece on hot dogs.  Specifically, the Dodger Dog costs $7.99.  But at Arizona’s Chase Field, a hot dog costs $2.99!

“Diamondbacks president Derrick Hall said team executives discussed whether discounting a handful of concession items would cost the team some revenue.  It turns out, he said, they make more money that way.

“ ‘People feel like they’re getting a bargain,’ Hall said, ‘and they buy more.’

“The Chase Field $2.99 menu includes hot dogs, sodas, peanuts and popcorn.  The Baltimore Orioles offer seven food items at $4 or less, including hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, pretzel bites and desserts.”

The Atlanta Falcons are credited with starting the trend, offering hot dogs, sodas, popcorn and pretzels at $2 each.

Dodgers team president Stan Kasten said they are studying whether to introduce a value menu.

You want a good hot dog?  It’s Black Bear for your editor...available only at Shop Rite.  Trust me, great grilled or boiled.  And when you can get a large package (20) for $9.99, as Mark R. tells me, ‘Back up the Honda...’

NFL

--The NFL Draft is Thursday and as of the weekend, Aaron Rodgers was playing the role, again, of Class Jerk. Rodgers, in an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” Thursday said he wasn’t close to making a decision on his future as he has had people in his inner circle dealing with “serious stuff.”

The 41-year-old said he isn’t “stringing anybody along” or “holding anybody hostage” by not deciding where to sign or whether to retire, but that he’s had “constraints in my life right now that warrant my attention.”

“I’m open to anything and attached to nothing, so retirement could still be a possibility,” Rodgers said. 

But he’s stringing along the Steelers, the only team that remains an option for Rodgers, who wanted to go to Minnesota, but they don’t want him.

The classless Rodgers then railed on new Jets coach Aaron Glenn and how he and the team handled their decision to move on from him.

Rodgers said he flew from California to New Jersey for what he expected to be a lengthy meeting about his future.

Instead, Rodgers claimed the Jets ended the meeting after 40 minutes and it started with Glenn “running out of the room” to get GM Darren Mougey.

“That was kind of strange...,” Rodgers said. “I think we are going to have this long conversation. I’ve flown across the country and 20 seconds in, he goes and he leans to the edge of his seat and says, ‘so you want to play football? And I’m like, ‘Yeah, I’m interested.’  And he was like, ‘We’re going in a different direction at quarterback.’

“I was kind of shocked. Not shocked because I didn’t think it was a possibility, but shocked because I just flew across the country and you could’ve told me this over the phone.”

Rodgers claimed that Glenn was concerned that Rodgers would “undermine” his message to the team if he remained part of the roster – and described a contentious conversation between the two.

I’ll give Rodgers his point about they could have just had a phone conversation, but no one knows, even today, if Rodgers wants to play.

The future Hall of Famer comes with a ton of baggage as Jets fans witnessed first hand and it was a good move moving on from him and picking up Justin Fields.

--In College Football, Lee Corso announced his retirement after 38 years at ESPN, working on “College GameDay.”  He will make his final appearance on the Week 1 episode of the show next season.

This was hardly a surprise, Corso being 89!  But what a great entertainer he was.  He’ll actually be 90 when he makes his final headgear selection.

Speaking of which, the headgear selection started when he donned the mascot head of Brutus Buckeye in 1996.  He wore that Brutus head 44 more times, the most of any of his mascot picks.  And Corso wasn’t all that inaccurate on his selections, hitting on over 66 percent.  Gimmicks aside, Corso, a former coach, knew the game and loved the sport.

He also owns a highlight reel full of iconic moments, none more memorable than his pick between SMU and Houston in 2011. Known to fake out the “GameDay” crowd, Corso picked up an SMU megaphone before tossing it over the desk with a profane exclamation attached.  “Ah, f--- it!”

--Quarterback Nico Iamaleava chose UCLA for his next stop, after Tennessee told his representatives to ‘stick it’ after the reps and Nico demanded more money.

NHL

--As expected, the Rangers fired coach Peter Laviolette after just two seasons.  From best record in the NHL last season, franchise records for wins and points, falling in the Conference Finals to eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers, to a dismal season with no playoffs.

And with the Rangers out of it, my interest in the playoffs this season is virtually nil.  I’ve never been a New Jersey Devils fan and not about to become one, and the NHL itself must be a bit concerned without not just the Rangers in the playoffs, but also Boston, Detroit, Chicago, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and the Islanders.

But I’ve decided I’m going to root for Montreal and Toronto.  Ohhh, Caa-na-daaaa!

Of course, Montreal is the last Canadian team to win the Cup, 1992-93, and Toronto hasn’t won it since 1966-67!  And Mets, Knicks, Rangers and Jets fans complain....your editor a fan of all four....which he is taking to his grave.

But back to the Blueshirts, man, it’s time to clean house.

Golf Balls

--We had a Signature Event, $20 million purse, this week at the RBC Heritage, Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina...and after two rounds....

Justin Thomas -12 (61-69)
Si Woo Kim -10
Russell Henley -10
Andrew Novak -9
Tommy Fleetwood -9
Mackenzie Hughes -8
Scottie Scheffler -8

Then after three rounds....

Si Woo -15
Novak -14
JT -14
Maverick McNealy -13
Brian Harman -12
Fleetwood -12
Scheffler -11
Henley -11

And it came down on Sunday to Thomas and Novak, Si Woo having faded. Thomas, 15 wins, hasn’t won since the 2022 PGA Championship. Novak looking for his first ‘W.’

Novak with a 10-footer for the win on 18. And it is a miserable attempt.  They are headed for a playoff.

And JT hits a 21-footer for birdie to bag No. 16!  Good for the sport.

But, poor Andrew Novak.

--Sorry to hear as they headed to the playoff of the death of Jay Sigel, 81, the great amateur champion out of Wake Forest.  Eight-time Champions Tour winner after turning pro at age 50.  Three times low amateur at The Masters.  RIP.

--Phil W. and I had a personal interest in this week’s Korn Ferry Tour event that ended Saturday in Lakewood Ranch, Florida.

Neal Shipley, 24, picked up his first win, but at one point in the final round, Phil’s good friend’s son, Thomas Walsh, was within 3 shots of the lead before fading, finishing T20, while a Jersey boy, Ryan McCormick, whose father I know well, finished T8.

The issue is the Korn Ferry rankings and these two need a bunch of top fives, not T8 and T20, to have a shot at securing a PGA Tour card for next season.  And once you get the card, as McCormick learned last season when he had one for the first time, your playing opportunities are severely limited and finishing in the top 125 ain’t easy; McCormick finishing No. 169 last year, nine cuts made in 25 events, one top ten and that was at an alternate field tournament.

Premier League

--In play this weekend, Manchester City beat Everton 2-0, Aston Villa had a huge 4-1 win over Newcastle to keep their CL hopes alive, Chelsea scored twice late to beat Fulham 2-1 in a biggie for Dr. Whit’s Blues, Arsenal whipped Ipswich 4-0, and Liverpool took another step towards clinching the title, 1-0 over Leicester.

The Table (32/33 of 38 played) – points....

1. Liverpool...33 – 79
2. Arsenal...33 – 66
3. Newcastle...33 – 59
4. Man City...33 – 58
5. Chelsea...33 – 57
6. Nottingham...32 – 57
7. Aston Villa...33 – 57

Nottingham plays Tottenham Monday.

--In Champions League action, Arsenal advanced to the semifinals with a 2-1 win, Wednesday (5-1 on aggregate) over Real Madrid, the reigning champs.  Awesome for the Premier League.  It’s the Gunners first UCL semifinal since 2009. They’ll face Paris St-Germain, PSG eliminating Aston Villa.

Inter Milan knocked out Bayern Munich and will face Barcelona in the other semifinal.

Soccer fans want a Barca-Arsenal final.  That would be cool.

Stuff

--Oscar Piastri won the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix today, Max Verstappen second despite a penalty, Ferrari’s Charles LeClerc third.

--No NASCAR Cup Series race, a break for Easter, but they had an Xfinity Series race Saturday at The Rock, Rockingham, N.C., which is working its way back into the rotation.  I attended two races at Rockingham back in the day, the 1980s.  That and North Wilkesboro (went to two there as well) were smaller tracks that NASCAR dumped in its effort to move the sport to more regions of the country, like to Phoenix, Kansas City, and Las Vegas, to name a few.

But it hurt in some respects, traditions lost...and now the old tracks are making a comeback, North Wilkesboro hosting the upcoming All-Star races.

I must have devoured 82 barbecue sandwiches in my four races at The Rock and North Wilkesboro (home of Junior Johnson)...at least it felt like it.  So freakin’ good, as Phil W., a witness a few times to my feats, knows.

--Back to South Carolina and Hilton Head, the area is known for alligators, and Brad K. passed along this story.

“Joseph and Marian Roeser were in their backyard in a retirement community*, gardening and spreading mulch, much as you’d expect from an older retired couple, when suddenly a gator sprung out of nowhere and latched onto Joseph.

*The Sun City Hilton Head community, which isn’t directly on Hilton Head Island, making this even more worrisome.

“Marian heard her husband’s cry for help and immediately sprung into action.

“ ‘I just grabbed the closest thing I could find – a tomato stake – and started attacking the alligator’s eyes and head,’ Marian Roeser said, according to a report from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.  ‘I knew I had to do whatever it took to save my husband.’”

The gator let go and the Roesers were able to go back inside their home and call 911.  Police arrived and euthanized the gator, though said gator probably wasn’t afforded due process.

Joseph sustained bite wounds to his leg and abrasions to his head, likely from falling onto the sidewalk during the attack, according to authorities.  He was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Top 3 songs for the week 4/24/82:  #1 “I Love Rock ‘N Roll” (Joan Jett & The Blackhearts)  #2 “We Got The Beat” (Go-Go’s)  #3 “Chariots Of Fire” (Vangelis)...and....#4 “Freeze-Frame” (The J. Geils Band)  #5 “Don’t Talk To Strangers” (Rick Springfield) #6 “Ebony And Ivory” (Paul McCartney with Stevie Wonder...dumb tune...)  #7 “Do You Believe In Love” (Huey Lewis and the News)  #8 “Key Largo” (Bertie Higgins)  #9 “ ’65 Love Affair” (Paul Davis...he had some great songs...)  #10 “867-5309/Jenny” (Tommy Tutone...awful week....C-....)

Baseball Quiz Answers: Athletics....

1) Only five with 250 home runs....

Mark McGwire 363
Jimmie Foxx 302
Reggie Jackson 269
Jose Canseco 254
Bob Johnson 252

2) Top three in hits....

Bert Campaneris 1882
Al Simmons 1827
Rickey Henderson 1768

I’ve written of “Indian Bob” Johnson a few times before...my father’s favorite player growing up in eastern Pennsylvania.  Indian Bob, one of the more underrated hitters in baseball history, 288 lifetime home runs, 1,283 RBIs, .296 batting average, .899 OPS, didn’t make it to the majors until age 27 and had seven straight 100-RBI seasons with the A’s (1935-41), and then 106 at age 38 with the Red Sox.

But I forgot Indian Bob had a brother, Roy Johnson, who was a solid major leaguer himself, 10 seasons, 1929-38, 58 home runs, 555 RBIs, .806 OPS, and get this...the exact same batting average, .296!

You can’t make this (stuff) up. The brothers hailed from Pryor, Oklahoma.

Brief Add-on up top by noon, Tuesday.

 

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