PTI – "Pitchers Have Been DEALING So Far This Season"
Date: April 1, 2026
Hosts: Tony Kornheiser & guest host Pablo Torre
Main Theme:
A lively rundown of hot sports topics, focusing on the early dominance of MLB pitchers, big coaching rumors in college basketball, NBA playoff anxiety, and major headlines in golf and world soccer.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. April Fools! The (Fake) Baseball Umpire Scandal
Segment: 00:49–04:14
- The Story: Tony introduces a breaking "scandal": leaked documents reveal MLB’s new automatic ball-strike system is missing the pitch location by an inch, causing field-wide controversy and risking the integrity of results—a huge concern for umpires, players, and especially gamblers.
- Pablo (01:46): "I would feel incredibly disturbed, Tony... What insane vindication for the humans that we've discounted this entire time that they actually had a point despite our best efforts?"
- Tony (02:34): Highlights the embarrassment for umpires like CB Buckner, noting, “If I were him, I would have to think about suing baseball for defamation of character… it feels like vindication.”
- Tony on bettors: "If you allow betting on a sport, you have to guarantee the integrity... There's no integrity here."
- Pablo (03:35): Points out every rules controversy is now a business story due to gambling, suggesting an asterisk on early season statistics.
- The Reveal: At 04:01, Pablo and Tony confess it was all an April Fools joke: "We do this every year and it works every year," Tony laughs.
- Notable Quote (Pablo, 04:01): "I have been pulled into compromising my journalistic integrity by lying to America with you for the last, I don't know what that was, two minutes."
2. Pitchers Dominating Early: Who Stands Out?
Segment: 04:24–07:20
- Real MLB News: Extraordinary starts from Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers), Max Fried (Yankees), Max Scherzer (Blue Jays), and Andrew Painter (Phillies).
- Whose Performance Matters Most?
- Tony (04:59): Believes Ohtani’s start is unprecedented: “If he wins a Cy Young, he might be the greatest baseball player ever. Babe Ruth's the most important player. Shohei might be the greatest player.”
- On Scherzer's resilience: “He's like Beethoven to try and ease the pain in the thumb. And if he were to give them a good year... they could go to the World Series again."
- On Ohtani’s numbers: "He has now not given up... an earned run in 22⅔ innings."
- Tony (07:20): “These other pitchers are marvelous... But Shohei Otani is in another league. We’ve not seen anything like this guy.”
- Pablo (06:17): Admits Ohtani’s ambitions, despite medical risk, are thrilling for the sport: “The fact that he wants the award you give to the best starting pitcher... that is a gift to baseball."
3. College Basketball’s Coaching Carousel: North Carolina’s Pull
Segment: 07:20–10:42
- Topic: With North Carolina reportedly seeking a new coach, Tony and Pablo debate if Tommy Lloyd (Arizona) or Dusty May (Michigan) should jump at the chance.
- Pablo (08:07): "What he is saying... ‘Arizona will have a very good coach after me.’"
- Suggests Lloyd is setting the table for a North Carolina move, despite strong programs at Arizona and Michigan.
- Tony (09:08): “If you tell me North Carolina wants you, I say you go. I say you have to follow in the footsteps of Frank McGuire and Dean Smith and Roy Williams."
- On legacy: Tony argues North Carolina is one of the true blue bloods, and that tradition, plus a clearer path to ACC dominance, tilts the risk/reward in favor of a move.
- Pablo (10:28): Agrees, but notes "at a certain point, it will not be the case that the brand matters... and we're not quite there yet in college hoops."
4. NBA: Knicks' Playoff Prospects and the MVP Showdown
Segment: 13:01–17:37
- Knicks’ Recent Slide:
- Tony (13:01): Calls their 5-game losing streak to winning teams “scary,” worrying about playoff matchups: “It feels like foreshadowing and it feels a little scary.”
- Pablo (14:06): "The word I have is symptomatic... The disease is, guess what, you're just never gonna be as good as you need to be to win a title. There's a cruelty in mediocrity."
- Lakers vs Thunder - MVP Implications:
- Tony (15:12): Says Thursday's matchup "should be MVP predicting... This is a game you plan actually to sit down and watch and bring your MVP ballot with you."
- Pablo (16:26): Calls it "infuriating" as both Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander were, in a sense, given away by their original franchises: "It's not very often you get players of this caliber that are basically given away by their former teams."
- On basketball fate: Pablo draws parallels between questionable GM moves and missed potential, highlighting their transcendent talent.
5. Quick Hits & Big Headlines
Segment: 21:20–24:19
- Happy 62nd to Scott Stevens: Tony (18:32) reflects on his legendary defense and New Jersey's grit.
- Anniversary: Villanova's 1985 NCAA upset over Georgetown. Tony: “One of the greats of all time.”
- Tiger Woods Steps Away:
- Tony (21:20): “Tiger has to step away. His well being and the well being potentially of others depend on it at this point.”
- Pablo (21:50): “Tiger Woods is cursed by being Goliath that is lately also a David... The public is unsparing because that's still the one guy the general population knows.”
- Tony lauds Tiger’s historic stature, expressing empathy for his struggle.
- Soccer: Portugal beats the US Men’s team (23:14) and Italy faces World Cup woes—compared to the Knicks’ cycle of frustration.
- NFL: Jaguars relocating to Orlando temporarily (23:55).
- NBA: Spurs’ win streak, Wembanyama’s rising star (24:07).
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
On Umpires & Automation
- Pablo (01:46): "What insane vindication for the humans that we've discounted this entire time that they actually had a point despite our best efforts?"
On Shohei Ohtani’s Greatness
- Tony (04:59): “If he wins a Cy Young, he might be the greatest baseball player ever... Shohei might be the greatest player.”
On Knicks Fan Pain
- Pablo (14:06): "There's a cruelty in mediocrity... not being good enough to win the thing, but not bad enough to ever fully reset."
On Tiger Woods’ Absence
- Tony (21:20): “Tiger has to step away. His well being and the well being potentially of others depend on it at this point.”
Timestamps for Major Segments
- 00:49–04:14: April Fools/MLB “umpire scandal”
- 04:24–07:20: Pitching standouts (Ohtani, Scherzer, Painter, Fried)
- 07:20–10:42: College basketball coaching rumors (UNC, Lloyd, May)
- 13:01–14:06: Knicks’ losing streak analysis
- 15:12–17:37: Lakers vs Thunder—MVP showdown preview
- 21:20–22:17: Tiger Woods steps away from golf
- 23:14–24:19: USMNT, Italy, NFL relocation, Spurs’ streak
Tone & Atmosphere
- Banter: Signature Tony/Pablo back-and-forth, self-deprecating, humorous, occasionally nostalgic.
- Insider flavor: Quick pivots between major sports, with colorful asides and stats.
- April Fools spirit: Early twist showcases classic PTI playfulness.
For Listeners Who Missed the Episode:
This PTI delivers a classic blend of high-level analysis, good-natured ribbing, and broad coverage, shining in moments like the Ohtani GOAT debate, the Knicks’ existential woes, and a vulnerable acknowledgment of Tiger Woods’ struggles. The show’s April Fools opener fits their tradition of mixing sports insight with playful media commentary.