Sunday, April 9, 2023

April 9, 2023 News and Notes

  • Tampa Bay beat Oakland 11-0 today.  That is a sweep of their first three series -- 9-0 for the Rays.  The first team in 20 years to win their first nine.
    • That's the good news.  The bad news:  Detroit, Washington, and Oakland -- three of the worst teams in the MLB.  Four at Boston next.
  • Well, if they're going to investigate the Mavericks for throwing the season away by sitting players in a win-or-eliminated game, then the Trail Blazers may have to be next!  If the Warriors win, they avoid the play-in tournament.  In just the first quarter of the game between the two teams on this final day of the 2022-23 regular season, the Warriors have scored 55 points.
    • And never challenged...  157-101.
    • Scary stat:  The two wins on Friday and today which got the Warriors the #6 seed are only the 10th and 11th road wins this season for the Warriors.
  • LIV Golf is in a dogfight at the Masters at 4 PM Eastern in Augusta.  Blood-money player Brooks Koepka is two over through 6 and one back of Jon Rahm, the new leader.  Phil Mickelson is in the top ten through, but playing partner and PGA stalwart Jordan Spieth can stop him -- he's one shot better than the LIV turncoat.  Saudi big-mouth Patrick Reed is tied with Mickelson.
    • Amateur Sam Bennett has already won low amateur -- and he's tied for 13th through 7 holes of his final round.
  • Whew.  Rahm wins by 4.
    • Fucking Phil Mickelson, LIV turncoat, broke the Masters record for the lowest final round by a Champions Tour-age golfer (50+) when he pulled a 65 out of his ass to tie second with LIV shitbag Koepka.  Tied for second with the other fuckhead Koepka.
    • LIV big-mouth Patrick Reed finished joint-fourth with Jordan Spieth.
    • Sam Bennett finished two shots short of gaining automatic exemption for next year's tournament.
  • Bizarre minor-league situation last night.  The Rocket City Trash Pandas of Alabama, a AA affiliate of the Angels, threw a no-hitter last night against the Chattanooga (TN) Lookouts, a AA Reds affiliate.
  • They lost, and gave up SEVEN RUNS in the 7-5 loss.
  • All 7 runs were in the seventh and final inning (they played a doubleheader).  
    • Four walks walked one run all the way around with two out.  
    • An outfield error scored three more.  
    • THREE hit by pitches forced home a fifth run.  
    • A walk forced home a sixth.
    • A wild pitch scored #7.
    • And they got another walk before the third out.
      • In total, SIX WALKS, THREE HBP, a wild pitch, and an error -- they plated seven runs and put 12 to the plate without even getting a hit.
      • And this is what happened with bases loaded and two out:  Three walks, three HBP, wild pitch, three-run error.
      • At this rate, just fold the damn Angels if this organization is that shit!!!   
  • And they one-hit the Lookouts in the second game.  At least, hopefully they cut half the team between games -- they did win 3-0.
  • Rudy Gobert has done it again -- expelled by the Timberwolves from the last regular-season game for taking a swing at a teammate in a time-out huddle.  Will be handled "internally" -- they play the Lakers in the 7-8 game on Tuesday.
  • It appears Odell Beckham Jr. is a Baltimore Raven.  1 year, $15M.
NBA playoffs:
  • Play-in:
    • Eastern 7-8:  Atlanta at Miami on Tuesday
    • Eastern 9-10:  Chicago at Toronto on Wednesday.
    • Winner of the 9-10 at the loser of the 7-8 on Friday.
    • Western 7-8:  Minnesota at the Lakers on Tuesday.
    • Western 9-10:  Oklahoma City at New Orleans on Wednesday.
    • Winner of that 9-10 at the loser of the 7-8 on Friday.
  • First Round:
    • E#1 Milwaukee vs. the second Eastern play-in winner.  Starts Sunday.
    • E#4 Cleveland vs. E#5 Knicks.  Starts Saturday.
    • E#3 Philadelphia vs. E#6 Brooklyn.  Starts Saturday.
    • E#2 Boston vs. winner of Atlanta-Miami.  Starts Saturday.
    • W#1 Denver vs. the second Western play-in winner.  Starts Sunday.
    • W#4 Phoenix vs. W#5 Clippers.  Starts Sunday.
    • W#3 Sacramento vs. W#6 Golden State.  Starts Saturday
    • W#2 Memphis vs. winner of Minnesota-Lakers.  Starts Sunday.
      • In all cases, the higher-seed has home-court advantage.  
      • Best of 7.
      • The three best records in the NBA came from the East.  The East champion will have home-court advantage for The Finals unless the East champion is Cleveland or below and the West champion has a better record.

No comments:

Post a Comment