Weekend winners
Peter Malnati. You grind for nine years without a win in anything you are doing in professional sports, and you have to think, “What the bleep am I doing out here?” Malnati won the Valspar Sunday to end that almost decade-long dry spell and get a Masters invite. Yeah, the $1.5-plus-million check was sweet, too.
Sports fans. March Madness was truly mad. More on that below. MLB starts in earnest this week. (Side question: Do you play fantasy baseball? Discuss.) The tradition unlike any other is right around the corner. Good times.
The Falcons. Hey, Rondale Moore still has some juice, and dealing Desmond Ridder was an easy decision after signing Kirk Cousins. Granted, if Ladd McConkey is on the board early in round two, the Falcons should spring to the podium, but Moore is a nice add.
The Braves. Yes, opening day is around the corner, and yes, it looks like Ronald Acuña Jr. will be ready to roll. But simply put, it’s Braves or Dodgers to come out of the NL in my mind, and all of this Shohei drama is an added spring training bonus.