Tag: Anthony Rizzo

Cubs’ Anthony Rizzo offers opponent hand sanitizer at first base

What a nice guy.

The Chicago Cubs started their 2020 regular season at home with a 3-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers, as starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks pitched a brilliant complete game shutout, allowing just three hits and zero walks.

When the Brewers finally got a man on base in the top of the third after a single by Orlando Arcia, Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo kindly offered his opposition some hand sanitizer he was carrying for the occasion. After removing his batting gloves, Arcia accepted a quick squirt, and Rizzo cracked up at his own gag.

Later in the game, Rizzo launched a solo home run to give the Cubs a 3-0 lead.

[vertical-gallery id=934660]

[jwplayer TF9Z2ltx-q2aasYxh]

Milwaukee Brewers at Chicago Cubs odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Friday’s Milwaukee Brewers at Chicago Cubs sports betting odds and lines, with MLB betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Milwaukee Brewers face the Chicago Cubs Friday at Wrigley Field for a 7:10 p.m. ET first pitch. We analyze the Brewers-Cubs MLB betting odds and lines, with betting advice and tips around the matchup.

Brewers at Cubs: Projected starting pitchers

RHP Brandon Woodruff vs. RHP Kyle Hendricks

Woodruff in 2019: 11-3, 3.62 ERA in 22 starts.

  • 2019 vs. Cubs: 0-0, 9.00 ERA (4 ER, 4 IP) in one start.
  • Career vs. Cubs: 0-0, 6.75 ERA (11 ER, 14 2/3 IP) in three starts.

Hendricks in 2019: 11-10, 3.46 ERA in 30 starts.

  • 2019 vs. Brewers: 0-1, 4.00 ERA (4 ER, 9 IP) in two starts.
  • Career vs. Brewers: 8-6, 3.08 ERA (41 ER, 119 2/3 IP) in 21 starts.

Bet $1. Win $100 in free bets if either the Brewers or Cubs hit a home run Friday, July 24th. Place your legal sports bets at BetMGM now in IN, CO, NJ and WV. Visit BetMGM for terms and conditions. Bet Now!

Brewers at Cubs: Key injuries

The list of injuries for this one includes:

Brewers

  • 2B Keston Hiura (arm) questionable
  • SS Luis Urias (COVID-19) out

Cubs

  • 3B Kris Bryant (back) probable
  • 1B Anthony Rizzo (ribs) probable

Brewers at Cubs: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated Thursday at 2:45 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Cubs 9, Brewers 5

Moneyline (ML)

Hendricks was very comfortable pitching in the friendly confines of Wrigley Field last season. In 2019, Hendricks was 6-2 with a 2.04 ERA in 14 starts at home compared to a 5-8 record with a 5.02 ERA in 16 road starts. Despite making fewer home appearances, Hendricks gave up six home runs and 21 earned runs in Chicago versus 13 home runs and 47 earned runs away from home.

Woodruff isn’t a bonafide ace and gets the Opening Day assignment because the Brewers’ rotation isn’t that strong. Woodruff had a good 2019 but he has struggled in his three career starts against the Cubs. Milwaukee won the season series in 2019, 10-9; however, they are just 2-6 in their last eight games at Wrigley.

I gave this out on a 4-team parlay Tuesday, so I LOVE THE CUBS (-125).

New to sports betting? A winning $125 bet on Chicago will return a profit of $100.

Run line/Against the spread (ATS)

Chicago had a poor run line record in 2019 (76-86), but the Cubs have beaten the Brewers by two-plus runs in their last six victories over Milwaukee. Their lineup has more production—had more runs scored per game, hit more home runs and had a better slash line in 2019.

I LIKE the CUBS -1.5 (+160) to win by two or more runs. A winning $50 bet on Chicago’s run line will earn a profit of $80.

Over/Under (O/U)

We love the Cubs’ moneyline and like the run line so we have to take the OVER 8.5 (-110). Chicago returns most of a lineup Woodruff has struggled against. In 57 at-bats, the current Cubs lineup is hitting for a .277 batting average with a .404 OBP against Woodruff.

They are deep—several multiple-time all-stars, six 20-plus home run hitters and a former MVP in Bryant—and could build a big lead against a Brewers bullpen that was 17th in ERA in 2019

Want some action on this game? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips and advice, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @Geoffery_Clark on Twitter, and follow @SportsbookWire on Twitter and Facebook.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

[lawrence-newsletter]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1372]

MLB should do whatever it takes to have star players mic’d up for real games

MLB games could be so much more fun to watch on TV.

Major League Baseball has proven to be terrible at a lot of things, including making its star players more marketable and more fun to watch for casual fans. Mike Trout, for instance, should be an even bigger star than he is, not just when he’s hitting golf balls to the moon at Topgolf.

While Rob Manfred has totally whiffed on punishing players for cheating their way to a championship, he could get a big win for the league with one, maybe not-so-simple move – make big-name players with fun personalities get mic’d up for some games during the regular season.

We learned again on Monday just how fun that can be, as Cubs stars Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo basically put on their own show while mic’d up against the Angels in a spring training game in Arizona.

The two players had fun going back and forth with conversations while in the field but the best moments came when they were at the plate.

Bryant, during one at bat, had fun pretending he was afraid of an incoming pitch by saying “Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, oh my God…” before fouling it down the left field line. He then joked about how tired he was while running back to the batter’s box to resume his at-bat.

Rizzo took things to another level during a long at-bat when he took a fun shot at the Houston Astros while trying to guess which pitch he would be seeing next.

I’m sure players wouldn’t want to do this during games that matter, but NFL players do it every week in games that are much more dangerous than baseball games, so it should be something that can be done.

Baseball is a long season, with long games that can really become quite boring. What better way to make things interesting than to bring fans into the game by hearing mic’d up players as it happens? I didn’t care at all about the Cubs-Angels game on Monday but I stuck around to see what the players would do next.

I’m guessing more people would do that, too, during the season.

Baseball is in the middle of one of its worst PR moments in league history, as the cheating Astros are getting all the headlines.

Mic’d-up players could be just what it takes to make more people interested in a game that could use some fun reasons to watch.

Fun and MLB haven’t really gone together all that often recently. This could change that.

Monday’s biggest winner: Trevor Bauer.

AP Photo/Matt York

The Cincinnati Reds pitcher took sign-stealing to a whole new level as he actually told a hitter on Monday which pitch was coming. This was a fun wrinkle that I didn’t see happening and I love it.

Quick hits: What Brady really said… Never stop, Trae Young… Zion’s jersey swap gaffe… And more!

Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

– Now we know for sure what Tom Brady said during that sideline moment in Syracuse over the weekend.

– Trae Young should never stop nutmegging defenders.

– Did Zion Williamson really not give Javale McGee his jersey during a postgame jersey swap on Sunday night?

– LeBron James and other NBA players continue to make weird mistakes on in-bounds passes.

– Is Tony Romo worth all that money CBS gave him? Here’s a fun debate between Charles Curtis and Steven Ruiz.

A mic’d up Anthony Rizzo made fun of the Astros while trying to guess a pitch during an at-bat

Well played, Anthony Rizzo.

Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant have been mic’d up for ESPN today during the Cubs-Angels spring training game in Arizona and the two have been pretty fantastic at giving fans an fun look at what it’s like to play in a Majore League Baseball game.

They’ve also had some fun just goofing around and having some laughs. I wish MLB did this with players during the regular season but I’m guessing that will never happen.

Rizzo poked some fun at the Houston Astros and their whole sign-stealing scandal during one of his at-bats. He didn’t know which pitch he was going to see next and jokingly asked for someone to bang on something for him:

Now that is too good.

[jwplayer 78xaufRK-q2aasYxh]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Kris Bryant provided hilarious commentary during his own mic’d-up at-bat

Mic up all the players.

It’s typically difficult to get excited about a spring training baseball game. The outcomes don’t really matter for anything. The players are just looking to get ready for the season. And the general atmosphere of these games are laid back.

That’s not exactly the formula for a compelling broadcast, but ESPN managed to make spring training baseball fun on Monday.

For ESPN’s Cactus League broadcast of the Cubs and Angels, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo were mic’d up with earpieces for the entirety of their time on the field. That included their at-bats, and just watch how Bryant handled the novelty.

As Bryant approached home plate, he joked with Angels catcher Jason Castro that he was mic’d up and was going to get the signs from the booth. (Looking at you, Astros).

But the entire at-bat played out delightfully. Bryant even went with the “oh my God, oh my God, oh my God” nod to Rookie of the Year as Julio Teheran delivered a pitch.

We won’t see this mic’d-up feature in the regular season, but MLB should really make it happen. Mic up all the players, all the time.

[jwplayer 78xaufRK-q2aasYxh]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]