Friday Four-Pack 3.6.26

Jayson Tatum is back. The Pats have to help Drake Maye next week. World Baseball Classic Buzz. NHC looming and I'm scuffling. Notes!

Note from Owner of MutStack.com, Dave Portnoy:

I want to wish Mut good luck next Thursday qualifying for the NHC. That is all.

---

Thank you, Dave.

So yeah, six days out from Vegas.

In a perfect world, this week’s Four-Pack open would be about how I’ve had a great week in these NHC feeders….that I’ve found an approach that works…that I have multiple entries in the big qualifying tournaments this weekend… that my confidence is sky-high!

Instead, that image above tells the real story. Those are my finishes in the feeders and qualifiers over the last couple of weeks. I’ve been ready to go live on social media at the end of all these tournaments, but I’m never even alive for a placing going into the final race.

I can pick winners. Three for three in the Debry preps last week on the Barstool blog is a good example. On Sunday, we had the 8-1 Class President in the Rebel, and I made a good score. But all I could think about was crashing in a qualifier. I just have not found the right combination of winning favorites and longshots in these feeders. And it hasn’t been that close.

I had an hour-long conversation on Thursday with Frank Scatoni, who has been writing about and playing in horse racing tournaments for decades. He’s trying to help me out with the reality that next Thursday, in the First Chance/Last Chance tournament that Dave gifted me three entries to, I have to manage those three entries correctly. I just need ONE of them to finish in the top 40 or so to make the NHC, so if one ticket gets a big winner, I’ll have to be ready to adjust.

The good thing is I can do all of the handicapping work before the tournament starts on Thursday. Then I’ll be able to focus on the board and adjusting to my target bankroll to advance. But the losing is wearing on me. Since we’re in the trust tree, I’m not sleeping much. I’d like to see the ball go through the hoop once or twice here before next Thursday. Feels a little bit like that image of Charlie Brown with the rain cloud over his head.

I got a text from a racing friend this week. He reached out to wish me good luck.

“Listen. Don’t overthink. Just trust your gut. Shits gonna go down that’s gonna make you second guess and question yourself. Stick to your guns.”

I’ve read it a few times since then.

There are a few chances left to qualify before next week, but it’s looking more and more like that will be my best shot at making the NHC. And I’m a massive long shot. I think when Klemmer asked me this week, I said I’m 40-1 to make it. It’s probably more like 400-1.

So yeah, flying to Las Vegas on Wednesday. First Chance/Last Chance all day Thursday. Then the NHC starts on Friday. The plan is to cover all content on social media and the Barstool Blog. I am planning on a normal Four-Pack here next week. As part of that, I’m looking for mailbag questions for next week’s newsletter. Have not done one of those in a while.

You can comment here with questions. DMs are open on X.com. Or mut at barstoolsports dot com. You can email me there. And send along your Vegas recommendations, too.

Until Vegas, we fight on. Firing away later Friday and hope to be alive late!

And a great Friday it is!!!!! WBC Baseball!!! Tatum is back!!!! NFL Trade buzz involving the Patriots!!!! These exclamation points are me trying to stay positive!!!! Hopefully it works!!! Much to discuss in this week’s newsletter!!!!

And it’s all ahead in Friday Four-Pack #162

---

Hey! We are closing in on 7K subscribers. Only takes a second to subscribe.

Year Four of being 100% free, and if you have not hit the blue button yet, I appreciate your consideration.

---

On a MUST for the Patriots offseason…

We open with a rant about this shitty New England winter. And two-hour delays. I do eventually get to the Pats.

---

On the return of Jayson Tatum…

I’m typing this at 5:34 AM, but I think Tatum is back tonight?

I’d tell you that I’m excited to be done with the Boston sports radio discourse on Tatum’s docuseries, but it’s just going to evolve into a conversation about Tatum and Brown’s relationship. As I wrote a few weeks ago, the NBA is fueled by off-court drama. “Lebron said this. Steve Kerr said that. Harden wants to be traded here.” It completely overshadows the on-court product.

I was part of this, agreeing with Jeff Goodman for years that Brown and Tatum did not complement each other as players on the court, and at times, didn’t seem to enjoy playing together. Then that changed, both of their games evolved, and they won a championship.

Tatum is coming back to a team that has played well above anyone’s expectations, thanks in part to the play of Brown. People are going to look for signs that Tatum is annoyed it’s not his team anymore, or something like that. Or that Brown is annoyed at Tatum coming back.

Maybe I’m just being naive, but I just assume they’ll go right back to being one of, if not the best, duos in the NBA. I love watching Jayson Tatum play basketball, and if I had a favorite player, it would be him. He’s an elite, elite scorer who has morphed into one of the best all-around players in the league. For some reason, he makes people crazy. I actually don’t think he’s as appreciated as he should be in Boston, and I get the sense that people around the NBA value him wayyyyyy more than many Celtics fans do. The Tatum Haters (of which there are many) will be out in full force. Maybe not tonight, they’ll probably wait a game or two before saying he shoots too much and needs to pass the ball more 🙄🙄🙄

Assuming he comes back, at let’s say 90%, the Celtics are the team to beat in the East, and I don’t think it's close. Brad Stevens’ trade for Nikola Vučević has gone under the radar - he gives them a whole different look and is going to have a boatload of open 3s here down the stretch and into the playoffs. Joe Mazzulla is second right now on DraftKings in the Coach of the Year odds, but he’d get my vote. Even if you didn’t want them to tank, this was supposed to be a bridge year at best. Instead, they’ll likely be the No. 2 seed in the East. Mazzulla’s roster has eleven different Celtics averaging at least 15 minutes. JB Bickerstaff will probably win it, but I’d argue that what Mazzulla has done without Tatum is > Detroit’s success. It’s close, but I’d go Mazzulla.

As I write this, it occurs to me that I’m a Tatum Fanboy. Guiltily as charged. I was content if he sat out the season, as long as it meant he’d be coming back 100% next season. Now he’s back from a torn Achilles in less than 300 days, and you’re allowed to start thinking about a Celtics/Thunder Finals.

The talk will probably not be about that; it will be about Tatum’s facial expressions or Brown’s body language. But I’m excited to watch Jayson Tatum play tonight, even if the drama of his return gets more buzz than the actual basketball.

---

On the 2026 World Baseball Classic…

At my age, it’s tough to get me to change my opinion on much. But after years of mostly ignoring it, I’m pretty excited for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

I’ll say off the top, I have no problem with what Tarik Skubal is doing. The Tigers' ace is on Team USA, but he's only planning to pitch in one game because of the event's timing and his preparation for the MLB season.

“Contractually, it wouldn't matter if the timing was in the middle of the season. It really wouldn't matter. I would just go suit up and play," Skubal said this week, in response to people saying he was doing this because he’ll be an unrestricted free agent after the season. I believe him.

And this has always been my issue with the WBC. It’s a great event, but it’s not the Olympics. And the timing is kinda terrible. If a player wants to put the team paying his salary ahead of the WBC, especially a pitcher who is being asked to ramp up well before MLB Opening Day, I totally get it. Fun event - but it’s not the Olympics.

As far as this year, yes, 100%, I’m more into the tournament.

I’m convinced that we’re staring down the barrel of a long MLB lockout in 2027. I won’t be totally shocked if we lose the whole season over the two sides battling over not just a salary cap, but a salary floor. I’ve seen some suggestions that the Players’ Union would want a floor around $150 million. There are WAY too many owners that have no interest in spending that - there are 12 teams under that number for 2026. A few of those would have to be dragged kicking and screaming to $150 million. Between that and the players’ detestation of a salary cap, yeah, it’s going to be a long lockout.

It helps that Team USA has Red Sox star Roman Anthony in the outfield. My podcast partner Hogdale has brainwashed convinced me that Anthony is an MVP candidate right now, three months shy of his 22nd birthday. He homered in his WBC exhibition debut on Tuesday and could break out in a big way.

Seems like I’m not the only one into it. This video of Shohei Ohtani’s home run in Japan’s game early Friday has 15 MILLION views in just a few hours.

My kids are into it, too. They want jerseys (f-off, Fanatics). They want to root for Anthony. And they love baseball. So yeah, that’s part of it. The Friday, Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday primetime games are good, too.

Team USA is the favorite to win. A USA/Japan final would be wild. Hasn’t always been my favorite event, but I’m locked in this year. Hopefully, in Summer 2028, for Team USA at the Olympics.

---

On your weekly MutStack Notes…

⚾ We started this week’s Dirty Water - A Boston Sports Podcast making fun of Aaron Judge's address to his team this week at the WBC. He can be a great hitter, and that can be an awful clip. Both things can be true. Red Sox 5th starter battle, the lineup, Marcelo Mayer, and much more. Watch and subscribe on YouTube and then listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

🎙️ Pretty quiet week on the WEEI news front. I believe management is still talking to people, including Phil Perry and Chris Gasper, about roles with the station. I think those talks still revolve around WEEI Afternoons. But I don’t think those talks have advanced much, or if there’s a real timetable for change before the Red Sox season. I continue to ask around and will report news as I get it.

🎙️If Mazz was on remote one day from Felger and Mazz and he just left the show during the show, people would notice. And Felger and Jim Murray would probably bring it up. So it caught one person’s attention last Friday when Nick “Fitzy” Stevens, all of a sudden, was not back for hour three of WEEI Afternoons. I was not listening live last Friday, but the podcast confirms it. He’s there to end hour two and then gone after that, without any mention, at least on the podcast, from anyone else on the show. Maybe I missed it - I did not listen to the entire podcast. But it’s still afternoon drive in a major market, so this person found it strange. Listening back, so did I. Strange.

⚾ At one point, Underdog was a fantasy sports company, offering DFS-style sports drafts. Then they were going to make a push to be a sportsbook. Now, they’re planning to focus on Prediction Markets. As such, they’re going through changes. It sounds like one of those changes in no longer hosting Jared Carrabis and his very popular Section 10 Red Sox podcast, as well as his national baseball podcast with Dallas Braden, Baseball is Dead. A loyal reader here suggested WEEI make a push for Carrabis. Seems unlikely. Carrabis and Section 10 are huge brands, and I’m sure they’ll get it sorted out for Opening Day.

👀 For the KMS fans wondering, Jared DID text me on my birthday this year. I get the sense he got the nudge from a famous podcast host and mini golfer, but that’s not important. Have not talked to him since then, but we’re in a good space.

⁉️ Big, like BIG, Dozen Trivia Match scheduled for next week.

🏀 Big, big fan of the NBA on NBC Throwback logos and scorebug. More retro broadcasts, please.

➡️ Kirk, Dave, and Justin took calls today. Kirk’s right, very nervous about Vegas. Also, shout out to former Patriots’ center David Andrews, MutStack reader!

📺 I saw that Barstool Tate just finished his first viewing of The Wire. As a multi-time viewer, it’s an amazing show and an easy Top 5 all-time for me. Can I just say I think Season Two gets far too much shit? I’ve heard people say they skip over it. Those people are morons. You get an all-time open with the Pryz “Ring of Fire” scene. You get the amazing Ziggy/GG scene at the store, one of the best scenes in the whole series. We get Beatie Russell. We get the dock crew. McNulty on the boat. I could go on. Season 2 is much better than Season 5. And that’s Mut Talkin’ TV.

That sure feels like enough Stack for this week. Back to the NHC grind.

Good luck with all the bets this weekend. And thanks for reading. Send in those mailbag questions!

And hey, if you made it this far, consider sharing this week’s newsletter with other fans who might enjoy it. Or share something I wrote that was really stupid and make fun of me. Either way.