Month: June 2024

Florida’s Jac Caglianone in conversation for top pick in MLB draft

Could Jac Caglianone be the No. 1 pick in the draft this year? Chances are higher than initially expected, according to MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis.

For the past few months, experts have projected Georgia‘s Charlie Condon or Oregon State’s Travis Bazzana as the top pick in the 2024 MLB draft, but Florida two-way star [autotag]Jac Caglianone[/autotag] has joined the conversation, according to MLB Pipeline senior writer Jim Callis.

In his latest mock draft, Callis has the Cincinnati Reds taking Caglianone at No. 2 overall, but he adds that there is around a 20 percent chance that Cags will go first overall. As with most things in life, it’s a matter of money.

In the MLB draft, each pick in the first 10 rounds has a designated slot value. Teams can offer more or less, but a player doesn’t have to sign anything they don’t want to. That gives younger players a bit more leverage and older players more leverage, but at the top of the draft, it’s all about who is willing to give up money to go first overall.

Condon wants his money, and rightfully so, but it’s moved him out of the conversation for the top pick. If Cleveland can get Bazzana or Caglianone to sign under slot ($10,570,600), they’ll take the savings and spend it later on in the draft.

Callis believes Bazzana is more likely to come down to the $8.5 million-to-8.7 million range Cleveland wants to stay well under. He adds that “Caglianone is more in play with the Guardians than has been realized,” indicating the Gator’s price may have come down, especially for the No. 1 overall pick.

Still, he’s likely to receive full slot value at either of the next two picks, each of which is over $9 million. The top two signing bonuses in draft history were signed by Paul Skenes ($9.2 million) and Dylan Crews ($9 million) last year.

The last piece of the puzzle is West Virginia’s JJ Wetherholt, who missed half of last season with a hamstring injury. He’s a similar player to Bazzana and could come at a bigger discount.

“For now — and much can change in the next two weeks — I think Cleveland’s choice comes down to Bazzana vs. Wetherholt. Caglianone is more in play with the Guardians than has been realized, while Condon is fourth in the pecking order if he wants full slot.”

Last year, Gators fans saw Wyatt Langford slip to fourth overall after figuring to be a top-3 pick. That shouldn’t happen with Caglianone. There’s growing certainty that he’ll come off the board by the time the Oakland Athletics come to pick at No. 4.

Should Caglianone be drafted first or second overall, it would make him the highest-drafted player in program history passing Mike Zunino (No. 3 overall in 2012).

Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Where CBS Sports ranks The Big House among Big Ten stadiums

Rivals will say it’s fake. #GoBlue

There’s been a constant debate among college football fans about which stadium is the best in the sport. Even more so, which is the best in each conference?

Often, you hear that The Big House in Ann Arbor, despite it being the grandest cathedral in all of sport, the biggest sports stadium in North America, that it doesn’t compare to other great venues. However, Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports disagrees.

Fornelli ranked all 18 Big Ten stadiums now that the conference is getting four additions via the Pac-12 and The Big House comes in ranked No. 3.

3. Michigan – Michigan Stadium

The first time I saw Michigan Stadium from the outside, I was unimpressed. For a place called “The Big House,” it didn’t look too big. It wasn’t until entering that the size of the place slapped me in the face. Over 107,000 people fill the stands on Saturdays in the fall, and there is no escaping them. Opponents are completely surrounded, and the closest seats are practically on the sidelines with the players.

Michigan behind only Penn State‘s Beaver Stadium (which is our top stadium having visited all of the classic 14 Big Ten schools) and Washington‘s Husky Stadium, which has a stunning waterfront view.

The Wolverines’ home is also ahead of Oregon, Ohio State, USC and the rest of the hallowed halls within the Big Ten.

Bell heading toward Cup Series playoffs stronger than ever

Finally, the tide seems to have turned for Christopher Bell. Bell has multiple victories in the regular season for the first time in his NASCAR Cup Series career. Not only is he tied for most in the series with Kyle Larson, his Joe Gibbs Racing …

Finally, the tide seems to have turned for Christopher Bell.

Bell has multiple victories in the regular season for the first time in his NASCAR Cup Series career. Not only is he tied for most in the series with Kyle Larson, his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin and William Byron, but he also has the second-most playoff points behind Larson.

In other words, Bell looks much better positioned for a run in the postseason than in previous years. Although he made the Championship 4 the last two seasons, Bell and the No. 20 DeWalt team had to do it the hard way in must-win situations.

“Oh my gosh, man, we’ve been trying to work toward this for the last three years,” Bell said Saturday at Nashville Superspeedway. “It feels very, very rewarding to have playoff points in the bank right now, and we’ve [still got] a great opportunity to get more. This is what everybody wants in the regular season — to get out of here with a bunch of points.

“It feels much different from what we’ve had in the past.”

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The early part of the season made it look like Larson would separate himself from the pack. Larson not only racked up victories (three) but also stage wins (eight) to add to his playoff point total, and his pace was far ahead of the competition.

Over the last month, though, Bell came on strong. He’s led the third-most laps in the series (451) and won two of the last five races. He’s also picked up five more stage wins in that stretch and finished no worse than ninth.

The numbers now fall like this: Larson leads the series with 23 playoff points to Bell’s 22. Larson leads the series with eight stage wins to Bell’s seven.

Bell has also gone from 15th in the championship standings before the Coca-Cola 600, which he won, to sixth after his victory last weekend in New Hampshire — another important factor because NASCAR awards drivers who finish the regular season inside the top 10 in the championship standings with additional playoff points.

There are eight races left in the regular season, including Sunday at Nashville (3:30 p.m. ET, USA). Bell has an average finish of eighth in three starts at Nashville in the Cup Series.

For reference, Bell will start the postseason with more playoff points than he’s had in his previous three appearances, having started the 2023 postseason with 14 playoff points, 11 going into 2022 and just five to start the 2021 postseason.

WATCH: Every TD from WR Reidel Anthony’s career with the Bucs

Relive all of the best highlights from wide receiver Reidel Anthony’s career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

In the first round of the 1997 NFL draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn’t have to look far to add a big-play receiver to their offense, spending the No. 16 overall pick on Florida’s Reidel Anthony.

No. 85 made plenty of splash plays during his five seasons with the Bucs, showing the same kind of talent he displayed for a Gators team that was among the best in college football during his tenure in Gainesville.

Watch the video above to see all of Anthony’s best highlights from his time in Tampa Bay.

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Mayra Bueno Silva vs. Macy Chiasson prediction, pick, start time, odds for UFC 303

Two bantamweight title hopefuls Mayra Bueno Silva and Macy Chiasson throw down on the UFC 303 main card. Who gets closer to a title shot?

[autotag]Mayra Bueno Silva[/autotag] and [autotag]Macy Chiasson[/autotag] meet Saturday on the main card of UFC 303 from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. 

Last event: 3-2
UFC main cards, 2024: 52-49-2

Mayra Bueno Silva vs. Macy Chiasson UFC 303 preview

Silva (10-3-1 MMA, 5-3-1 UFC) returns for the first time since coming up short in her bid for the vacant bantamweight title. Silva lost a unanimous decision to Raquel Pennington at UFC 297, snapping a three-fight winning streak, not including a submission over Holly Holm that was later overturned to a no contest. … Chiasson (10-3 MMA, 7-3 UFC) enters her second fight of the year as well, following a first-round submission of Pannie Kianzad in March. Winner of Season 28 of “The Ultimate Fighter,” Chiasson will look to put together back-to-back wins for the first time since defeating Shanna Young in 2020 and Marion Reneau a year later.

Mayra Bueno Silva vs. Macy Chiasson UFC 303 expert pick, prediction

Filling out the main card is an affair at women’s flyweight between Silva and Chiasson.

Considering her unfortunate luck with fight cancellations, it’s nice to see Chiasson stay more active by making a relatively quick turnaround here.

Chiasson also appeared to better manage her weight cut last time out, which is a great sign for her potential future in this division. That said, I’m still not sure her size translates to staying power when the sparks start to fly.

The stock of Silva may be low after her disappointing bid for the bantamweight title earlier this year, but the fighter from Brazil apparently sustained an injury by the end of the first round (which could help explain some things).

Although I can still see a reality where the Fortis MMA product can use her size and skills to grind Silva against the cage regardless of her health, I suspect that Silva’s front-choke savvy could serve as a solid counter-grappling tool in this fight.

Add in the fact that Silva’s body and leg kicks should be especially live against Chiasson, and I can’t help but back the former title challenger to snatch up a submission on the American in round 2.

Mayra Bueno Silva vs. Macy Chiasson UFC 303 odds

Despite the oddsmakers opening the Brazilian as a bigger favorite, public money has pushed this fight to a pick’em, listing Silva at -113 and Chiasson -113 via FanDuel.

Mayra Bueno Silva vs. Macy Chiasson UFC 303 start time, how to watch

As the second main card bout, Silva and Chiasson are expected to make their walks to the cage at approximately 10:45 p.m. ET (7:45 p.m. local time in Las Vegas). The fight streams live on ESPN+ pay-per-view.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 303.

Texas A&M first baseman Blake Binderup has announced his Aggie playing future

Texas A&M will return another key member of the roster in 2025

It’s been a crazy week for Texas A&M’s baseball program. Now, former head coach Jim Schlossnagle’s sudden departure to head the Texas Longhorns shocked the fan base to its core, not only due to heated rivalry but also the optics surrounding his shocking departure.

For Aggies Athletic Director Trev Alberts, finding Schlossnagle’s replacement is the only focus. Plenty of intriguing options have made the media rounds, including Oklahoma head coach Skip Johnson and former A&M hitting coach Michael Earley, who recently followed Schlossnagle to Texas.

However, the current roster players are dealing with their own emotions after the coaching change. While nearly a dozen players have entered the transfer portal, several young athletes, including reserve first baseman Blake Binderup, have announced their return for the 2025 season.

Sitting behind Ted Burton, who will leave the program after one memorable season in Aggieland, Binderup is a native of College Station and an Aggie legacy who stands at 6’6″ and 230 pounds, with plenty of potential heading into the 2025 season.

Binderup finished the year with 19 appearances and 10 starts, recording six hits, nine RBIs, and one home run while batting .231.

Binderup joins pitchers Shane Sdao, Josh Stewart, and Brad Rudis as fellow returnees next season.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Cameron on Twitter: @CameronOhnysty.

UFC 303: Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazka odds, picks and predictions

Analyzing Saturday’s UFC 303 odds between Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazka, with MMA picks and predictions.

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In a 5-round light heavyweight bout in the main event, Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka meet Saturday at UFC 303 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the UFC 303: Pereira vs. Prochazka odds, and make our expert picks and predictions.

The early prelims begin at 6 p.m. ET, and can be viewed on ESPN/ESPN+. The prelims begin 8 p.m. ET, also on ESPN/ESPN+, while the main card starts at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view.

Records: Pereira (10-2-0) | Prochazka (30-4-1)

We’ve been here before. These 2 fighters met at UFC 295, with Pereira taking Prochazka’s belt with a KO/TKO late in Round 2. Prochazka had just won the strap at UFC 275 against Glover Teixeira with a 5th-round submission win.

Prochazka bounced back from the disappointment of his 1st loss to Pereira, knocking out Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 300 in Round 2 to get a little bit of his swagger back.

Pereira successfully defended his belt at UFC 300 by breezing past Jamahal Hill with a 1st-round knockout at 3:14. He has won 3 straight fights, including a split-decision win over Jan Blachowicz, since he lost his title the first time to Israel Adesanya at UFC 287.

Prochazka is 5 years younger, and he has a slight 1-inch reach advantage, while Pereira has the slight 1-inch height advantage.

Prochazka has a slight 5.75-to-5.10 significant strikes landed per minute advantage, although the champ Pereira is far more accurate at 69.21% on those strikes, with Prochazka checking in at 59.25%. Prochazka has a slight 0.79-to-0.18 takedown average, too.

Watch this card with ESPN+ by signing up here.

UFC 303: Pereira vs. Prochazka odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 1:56 p.m. ET.

  • Fight result (2-way line): Pereira -160 (bet $160 to win $100) | Prochazka +130 (bet $100 to win $130)
  • Over/Under: 2.5 rounds (Over +125 | Under -165)
  • Will the fight go the distance? (Yes +350 | No -600)

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UFC 303: Pereira vs. Prochazka picks and predictions

Fight result (2-way line or moneyline)

PROCHAZKA (+130) is a solid play as the slight underdog in this light heavyweight title bout.

I can see the trilogy setting up here. These are 2 fighters who are rather evenly matched, and both are championship caliber. These 2 could potentially meet again for the strap in a decisive 3rd fight around the holidays if Prochazka can, indeed, be victorious.

If the Czechian fighter gets the job done, he’ll likely win via knockout. As such, PROCHAZKA BY KO/TKO, DQ OR SUBMISSION (+150) at plus-money on the 5-way line is certainly worth a roll of the dice.

Over/Under (O/U)

UNDER 2.5 ROUNDS (-165) is a little expensive, but it’s the right call in this main event.

Pereira has ended up going the distance just once in the past 6 fights, with 5 of those bouts ending via KO/TKO. He hasn’t found past the midway point of Round 3 in 3 of his past 4 outings.

For Prochazka, he did have that Teixeira fight go into Round 5, but his other 4 fights at the UFC level have ended in Round 2.

No (-600): Will the fight go the distance? is simply way too expensive, costing 6 times your potential return. Even as part of a multi-team parlay, there is no value in it.

Visit MMA Junkie for more fight news and analysis.

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For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

Follow Kevin J. Erickson on Twitter/X. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter/X and us on Facebook.

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QB Garrett Nussmeier says LSU’s receiver room is filled with ‘dogs’

Garrett Nussmeier isn’t worried about replacing the production of Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr.

LSU suffers a lot of losses on offense entering 2024. Not only is quarterback [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] moving on to the NFL, but he’s joined by his top two receivers from 2023 in [autotag]Malik Nabers[/autotag] and [autotag]Brian Thomas Jr.[/autotag]

Most outside observers would expect some regression on that side of the ball this offseason, but new quarterback [autotag]Garrett Nussmeier[/autotag] disagrees. Speaking to reporters at the Manning Passing Academy, he describes LSU’s receiver room — bolstered by a pair of offseason transfer additions in [autotag]CJ Daniels[/autotag] and [autotag]Zavion Thomas[/autotag] — as being filled with “dogs.”

In addition to returning players like [autotag]Kyren Lacy[/autotag] and [autotag]Chris Hilton Jr.[/autotag], Nussmeier also praised the offensive line, which many expect to be the nation’s best this fall.

“No doubt. With Chris Hilton, Kyren (Lacy), CJ (Daniels), Zavion (Thomas), Kyle Parker, the list goes on and on,” Nussmeier said. “And I hate naming guys because I always leave someone out on accident, but all of our room, the entire receiver room is just a bunch of dogs, and it’s one of the reasons that played into my decision to come to LSU, along with many other things.

“But you know if I go to LSU, I’m always going to have some dogs. This state produces receivers and DBs like no other. So it’s huge, and then you go on top of that with the offensive line we have, it’s going to be able to give me time to get them the ball, and that’s my job. To just let playmakers make plays, and we have a lot of them, so I’m excited.”

Replacing the production of Nabers and Thomas won’t be easy, but LSU’s new signal-caller clearly thinks the roster has the talent to do so.

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

Bucs Flashback: David Logan’s historic scoop-and-score TD vs. Lions

Relive one of the most iconic moments in the early history of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the NFC Central in 1981, sealing their division title with a road win over the Detroit Lions.

That victory was clinched by a scoop-and-score from defensive lineman David Logan, who grabbed a fumble and lumbered to the end zone to give the Bucs the historic win.

Watch the video above to relive one of the most iconic moments in the early history of the Bucs franchise.

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Check out Will Gholston’s awesome new Bucs tattoo

Tampa Bay Buccaneers veteran defensive lineman Will Gholston shows off his new ink

Defensive lineman William Gholston is one of the longest-tenured players in Tampa Bay Buccaneers history, and now he’s got a permanent reminder of the only franchise he’s ever suited up for in the NFL.

Gholston recently shared a video on social media of his new Bucs tattoo, and it’s absolutely awesome.

Watch the video above to see the new ink from Gholston, who re-signed with the Bucs this offseason on another one-year deal.

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