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It goes without saying that the MLB pitch clock has virtually nothing to do with the pandemic of elbow injuries to pitchers. The Astros鈥� Justin Verlander, a former Old Dominion star who knows something about pitching and injuries, says, 鈥淚t would be easiest to blame the pitch clock,鈥� but cites instead the changing style of pitching, 鈥渆verybody throwing as hard as they possibly can and spinning the ball as hard as they possibly can.鈥� When raw power displaces craftiness, something鈥檚 got to give. More and more, it鈥檚 the ulnar collateral ligament.

Shaving time: Unless MLB thinks in-stadium fans are all double-parked, why reduce the pitch clock with runners on base from 20 to 18 seconds? It makes no discernable impact.

Advanced talent: The Orioles鈥� Jackson Holliday is one of the three youngest players on MLB rosters. Improbably, the other highly rated 20-year-olds also are named Jackson 鈥� Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio and Padres centerfielder Jackson Merrill.

Stunning report: Shohei Ohtani or his financial people failing to notice the missing $16 million reportedly transferred from Ohtani鈥檚 account by his longtime interpreter and confidant only raises more questions and suspicions. This part of the story doesn鈥檛 seem plausible.

Money matters: The Iowa-UConn Final Four semifinal was the biggest women鈥檚 single betting event ever, according to an online gambling site. That partly explains the record-setting TV audience. Doesn鈥檛 thrill me to report this.

Hoop du jour: If last week鈥檚 鈥渓et-the-players-decide-the-game鈥� social media rants after the Iowa-UConn game are carried to their illogical conclusion, the final 10 seconds of every down-to-the-wire contest would be played without refs.

TV timeout: A record 18 million viewers for the women鈥檚 title game and 15 million for the men鈥檚 is a robust showing against so many cable and streaming options. But just as a reminder, when Magic Johnson鈥檚 Michigan State beat Larry Bird鈥檚 Indiana State in 1979 on NBC, the audience was measured at 35.1 million.

Quick hit: Whatever you think of the grumbling by some current and former women’s players over Caitlin Clark鈥檚 feats, know that it comes from envy.

Make a date: ESPN2 will carry Clark鈥檚 first WNBA game with the Indiana Fever on May 14 because to do otherwise would be gross malpractice by the network and league. Given human nature, however, the showcase may not endear the New Girl to her stuck-in-the-shadows elders.

Tall story: It鈥檚 not clear how Purdue鈥檚 7-foot-4 Zach Edey 鈥� as large as a sequoia and just as rooted 鈥� will fit into an NBA team. But as he鈥檚 yet to turn 22, there鈥檚 still room for growth, so to speak.

Outdated: Media references to former Kentucky coach John Calipari leaving the 鈥渂luest of the blue bloods鈥� to take over at Arkansas carry a nostalgic ring. Kentucky the bluest? UConn, 蜜柚APP Carolina, Duke and Kansas may have something to say about that.

Future watch: It will come as a surprise if the Commanders don鈥檛 choose Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels with the second overall pick.

A simple plan: Even after all the evaluation of the next crop of NFL quarterbacks, teams so often get it wrong. Judging from some recent drafts, franchises are just as likely to find their savior by drawing names from a hat.

NBA update: Denver鈥檚 Nikola Jokic is this season鈥檚 MVP. Unless it鈥檚 Dallas鈥� Luka Doncic. Meanwhile, the Rookie of the Year is Victor Wembanyama. The Euros are better at our game than we are at theirs (soccer).

Too hasty: It鈥檚 a new world, but nepo-baby Bronny James turning pro this year 鈥� whether to join his father or not 鈥� strikes me as the most incongruous decision a player in his position could possibly make.

Wondering: Would the NBC executives who recruited Snoop Dogg as on-air talent at the Paris Olympics read his song lyrics to their children?

Bob Molinaro is a former Virginian-Pilot sports columnist. His Weekly Briefing runs Fridays in The Pilot and Daily Press. He can be reached at bob5molinaro@gmail.com and via Twitter@BobMolinaro.