Stumblin' Along 4/13 '25
Augusta (The Masters Theme Song)
Augusta (The Masters Theme Song)
- The Masters Sunday Preview
- Yanks Week 3 Notes
- YouTube Rabbithole
Alright @YouTheReader,
Today’s tune is Augusta, otherwise known as The Masters’ Theme, on CBS. Dave Loggins wrote the score in 1981. He was so touched by attending the Masters in 1980 that he wrote the instrumental. Dave Loggins was 2nd cousins with Kenny Loggins, who is famous for two 80s hit songs, Footloose and Danger Zone. Anyway, somehow, Dave Loggins got his instrumental in the hands of CBS Golf Producer Frank Chirkanian, and CBS has played it for every Masters telecast every year since 1982.
On to the Masters & the Yanks…
The Masters coverage will begin at 2 PM ET on CBS. Thanks to the leaderboard heading into Sunday, it’s shaping up to be one helluva matchup.
Rory McIlroy (Up 2 Shots)
On Saturday, Rory McIlroy became the first golfer in Masters history to start a round with 6 straight 3s or better on his scorecard. McIlroy finished 6 under par on the day and opens Sunday with a 2-shot lead. This is the first time the Irishman has ever led any round at Augusta National. McIlroy has not won a major in over a decade and enters Sunday with plenty of whispers about how he can’t finish. McIlroy will be paired up with Bryson DeChambeau as the final group to go out. As much as Rory will want to out-drive DeChambeau, this Sunday matchup will come down to their short games and who can hit the key putts. Rory was money on Saturday.
Bryson DeChambeau (Down 2 Shots)
Bryson DeChambeau didn’t have the best of Saturdays but may have gotten hot at the right time. After 14 holes yesterday, DeChambeau was even on the day before he sunk 3 birdies from his final 4 holes. In perhaps a massive momentum boost, DeChambeau finished the 18th hole on Saturday with a 48-foot-walk-off birdie. The excellent putt got the crowd fired up. After the round, DeChambeau told reporters, “It’s amazing when you get the patrons going, and you look over at them and get them fired up…It makes me realize what I’m doing it for.” Sunday afternoon will be the first time that Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau pair up for a round in a major. Aside from both of them seeking their first Green Jacket, what adds even more spice to this duo is Rory being one of the most vocal pro-PGA advocates, while DeChambeau decided to turn heel and make boatloads of cold hard cash from the Saudis.
Corey Conners (Down 4 Shots)
I gotta be honest, I totally overlooked Corey Conners all week. The Canadian golfer had the tough task of being paired up with Rory’s hot streak on Saturday. He told reporters after round 3, “He got off to an amazing start…It was fun to watch, but I knew I had to get to work.” Conners has taken full advantage of the Par 5s this week on Holes 2 and 8, birdieing all 6 opportunities thus far. Conners has finished in the Top 10 of The Masters on 3 occasions since 2020 and is seeking his first Major victory. He’ll be paired up with Patrick Reed this afternoon.
Ludvig Åberg (Down 6 Shots)
Last year’s runner-up at The Masters, Ludvig Åberg, will once again be in the mix on Sunday. Since 1985, only Jordan Speith and Dustin Johnson have won the Masters after finishing in 2nd place the year prior. The Swedish golfer finished his Back 9 on Saturday with 3 straight birdies from the Chinese Fir to the Redbud. Åberg is paired up with Jason Day this afternoon and they’ll be the 3rd to last group out.
Patrick Reed (Down 6 Shots)
Unlike all the other golfers mentioned above, Patrick Reed owns a Green Jacket from his 2018 victory at Augusta. After his “piss poor” putting on Thursday, Reed is once again in contention for another Masters victory. The Georgia Bulldog and Augusta State University alum knows how to play at Augusta National.
Scottie Scheffler (Down 7 Shots)
Scottie Scheffler had a rough Saturday and still shot even on the day. That’s just what the great ones do, even though it’s certainly not ideal for moving day. Despite being 7 strokes behind, you’d have to think that Scheffler’s aura will shine at some point on Sunday and make things interesting.
Shane Lowry (Down 7 Shots)
Through 16 holes on Saturday, Shane Lowry was himself having one helluva round at Augusta. Unfortunately, he bogeyed his final 2 holes in a frustrating fashion. Understandably, Lowry was pissed off while speaking to the media coming off the green.
“No, I’m not going to stand here and talk about Rory for ten minutes. I’m trying to win the tournament as well. I know that’s what you all want me to talk about, but I just had a shit finish. I’ve got a chance to win the Masters tomorrow. I’m going to hit some golf balls…I enjoyed every bit of today and then I hit that putt on 17 and gee, I couldn’t believe it. I thought I did a great holing one back and then I just hit a very poor shot on 18…We talked about Collin Morikawa a few weeks ago. I think we need time. I need a half an hour now to sit there and gather my thoughts. I can’t be coming to talk to you guys straight away. It shouldn’t be happening. I don’t agree with it. Tennis players have to talk to the media, but they have half an hour before they do it. I feel like we should have the same thing. I’m probably going to say something stupid, I probably already have said something stupid because I’m pissed off right now, so I’m going to leave and hit some golf balls, okay?”
For the record, I stand with Shane Lowry. The sports media can buzz off. Give the lads some space after the round. Lowry and Scottie Scheffler will tee off at 2 PM ET. While I’m a bit biased because I have some play on Lowry, I like the idea that he’s paired up with an aggressive-minded Scheffler looking to make a Sunday comeback.
Justin Rose (Down 7 Shots)
Saturday was an all-time brutal round for Justin Rose. For starters, he and Bryson DeChambeau were right behind Rory, so they heard every roar to start the day. Rose had a brutal day with the putter, averaging over 2 putts per hole on Saturday. His worst putts of the day were on 16, when Rose had an opportunity to birdie, missed his par save, and tapped in his bogey. There’s not much else to say, but one positive for Justin Rose is after playing two tense rounds where he was trying to hold on to the lead, today he can go out there with nothing to lose.
Coverage for Sunday’s Round 4 at Augusta starts at 2 PM ET on CBS. This has the makings for a good one.
Game 9 (4/6)
- Missed most of the game Stumblin’ Along Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, and a few bars in Jersey City. Caught the 9th-inning rally where the Yankees were down 4-1. The rally included Anthony Volpe reaching on an infield single, Austin Wells getting thrown out attempting a bunt hit, The Martian working a walk, Oswald Peraza doubling to left field, and Trent Grisham singling to right field to tie it at 4-4. The Yankees then turned to Luke Weaver, who threw 2 scoreless innings, sending the game into the 11th. After failing to get the extra inning ghost runner in from 3rd with less than 2 Out, Devin Williams gives up a walk-off to Tommy Pham. The Yanks lose 5-4 in Pittsburgh.
Game 10 (4/7)
- In the top of the 3rd inning in Detroit, Ben Rice triples to CF. With only 1 Out and Aaron Judge at the plate, Rice gets picked off. During the next half inning, Carlos Rodon gives up a 3-run bomb after walking 2 batters. The Yankee bats can’t do as much as Casey Mize, and the Tigers’ bullpen allows just 2 runs. The Yanks lose 6-2.
Game 11 (4/8)
- Tarik Skubal, the reigning American League CY Young Award winner, is on the mound in Detroit. It’s another cold, sunny day. Cody Bellinger is out of the lineup after watching the NCAA Championship and eating bad room service chicken wings. The Yanks start off the 1st inning with back-to-back singles off Skubal, but Judge, Jazz, and Volpe go down without a run scored. Yanks counter the AL CY Young winner with Carlos Carrasco, who gets hit around some in the Bottom of the 2nd, giving up a ground-rule double and 2 singles. Luckily only gives up 1 run after creating a Trey Sweeney inning-ending double play. After allowing the 1st inning singles, Tarik Skubal settles into the game, as he retires 16 straight Yankees. By then, the Tigers had already tacked on 5 runs. The Yankees get shut out 5-0 as their record falls to 6-5 on the season. After the game, Bellinger tells reporters he “Will not eat wings for five years.”
Game 12 (4/9)
- On the hill in the last game of the series in Detroit is a pair of Harvard-Westlake High School alumni as Max Fried takes on Jack Flaherty. The Detroit Tigers’ starter strikes out the side in the 1st inning as the Yankees’ bats are still freezing cold. Despite the freezing temperatures, Paul Goldschmidt gets the Yanks in the hit column as he singles to RF, and Jazz draws a walk. However, the rally ends as Volpe strikes out with his torpedo bat launched into LF. With 2 Out and the bases loaded, Oswaldo Cabrera can’t come through. The Yankee at-bats in the 4th inning last less than 4 minutes. At least Max Fried could match Flaherty throwing up zeroes as well. With John Flaherty in the YES Booth, he confirms he has no relation with Jack, “expect maybe back in the ol’ country. Maybe County Kerry.” The Yankee bats finally show some life in the 7th inning as Ben Rice drills a 2-run homer to CF. Max Fried goes 7 scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts as Aaron Judge tacks on a couple of runs with a 2-run single in the 9th. Up 4-0, the Yankees turn to their closer, Devin Williams, who proceeds to walk 2, allowing 2 singles, and throw a wild pitch, as he exists giving up 3 runs with just 2 outs. The Yankees turn to Mark Leiter Jr., who gets the last out in a nailbiting ninth, winning 4-3. Thankfully, the Yankees are leaving Detroit. They looked miserable in the cold.
Game 13 (4/11)
- Game 1 of the Yankees hosting the San Francisco Giants has a half-hour rain delay, with the first pitch not being thrown until 7:30. Marcus Stroman should’ve just stayed in the clubhouse the whole night because as soon as he took the mound, he couldn’t get anybody out. After giving up 5 runs before recording his first out, Stroman hit the clubhouse showers before he could even get out of the 1st inning. This is the same Marcus Stroman who told reporters, "I'm a starter. I won't pitch in the bullpen. I'm a starter.” At this point, Stroman ain’t even a long reliever and should stick to throwing batting practice. The Yanks lose 9-1 as the game gets called in the 6th inning.
Game 14 (4/12)
- Will Warren works a 1, 2, 3, 1st as the Yanks score in the bottom half on a Judge single, Cody Bellinger triple to LF, and Paul Goldschmidt sac fly. The Giants tie the score in the 2nd when former crying Met Wilmer Flores hits a 2-run dinger. The Yankee bats come alive in the 5th inning when Ben Rice, Judge, and Bellinger all single, followed by a Goldschmidt ground rule double. After an Anthony Volpe warning track sac fly, The Martian rips a single to LF to score 2. Rice then drills a solo shot in the 6th to make things 8-4. Yanks turn to Luke Weaver in the fireman role in the 7th, and Devin Williams closes things out in the 9th. The Yanks win 8-4 over the San Francisco Giants and have an 8-6 record after a rough week.
