Tag: Cleveland Indians

Terry Francona’s son rips Zach Plesac for posting anti-media rant after breaking COVID protocol

Sit this one out, Zach.

Cleveland Indians pitcher Zach Plesac — along with teammate Mike Clevinger — have been quarantined from the team after they were caught breaking MLB’s COVID-19 protocols during a weekend series in Chicago.

Plesac was out with friends and didn’t return until the early morning hours. And in Clevinger’s case, the team didn’t realize Clevinger had also broken protocol until they had already flown back to Cleveland. It was a terrible look for both players, especially when the Cardinals are still dealing with a team-wide outbreak. You’d think other players would take it more seriously.

But on Thursday, Plesac posted a long Instagram video to tell his side of the story. In doing so, he blamed the media for how he and Clevinger had been portrayed.

The rant didn’t go over well with his manager’s son, Nick, though.

Nick — the son of Indians manager Terry Francona — took to Twitter on Thursday and shared the six-plus minute video, telling Plesac to “shut the (expletive) up until he can demonstrate he isn’t an oxygen thief.”

In his video, Plesac said that the media was “terrible.” He also claimed that he followed Ohio’s health guidelines (he was in Illinois while breaking MLB’s rules) by going out to dinner with a group of eight buddies and then going back to someone’s home.

Plus, shooting an entire six-minute video while driving probably wasn’t the best way to demonstrate a serious appreciation for public health.

Instead of blaming the media, Plesac should probably focus on mending a damaged relationship with his teammates. That video won’t help.

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Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Indians odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Monday’s Chicago White Sox at Cleveland Indians sports betting odds and lines, with MLB betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Chicago White Sox (1-2) visit the division rival Cleveland Indians (2-1) Monday at Progressive Field for a 7:10 p.m. ET first pitch. We analyze the White Sox-Indians MLB betting odds and picks, with betting advice and tips around the matchup.

White Sox at Indians: Projected starting pitchers

RHP Dylan Cease vs. RHP Aaron Civale

Cease posted a dismal 4-7 record, 5.79 ERA and 1.55 WHIP across 73 innings over 14 starts in 2019, his rookie year.

  • The right-hander was a little better on the road than at home last season. He went 2-3 with a 4.89 ERA over 38 2/3 innings in seven road starts, while finishing 2-4 with a 6.82 ERA across 34 1/3 innings in seven home outings.
  • Cease made just one start in 2019 against the Indians, allowing four earned runs on four hits and two walks with a career-high 11 strikeouts across 6 2/3 innings in a no-decision Sept. 3, 2019 in Cleveland.

Civale posted a 3-4 record with a 2.34 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 46 strikeouts over 57 2/3 innings across 10 starts last season, also his rookie campaign.

  • Civale was nearly untouchable at home last year, going 2-1 with a 1.09 ERA and .195 opponent batting average across 24 2/3 innings in four starts.
  • Civale went 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA and .313 opponent batting average while serving up two homers in two starts against the White Sox in 2019.

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White Sox at Indians: Key injuries

(List of injuries around the league)

White Sox

  • OF Eloy Jimenez (head) questionable
  • 2B Nick Madrigal (head) questionable
  • OF Nomar Mazara (illness) out

Indians

  • CF Delino DeShields (COVID-19 symptoms) out
  • OF Tyler Naquin (toe) out

White Sox at Indians: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated Monday at 5:40 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Indians 6, White Sox 4

Moneyline (ML)

The INDIANS (-129) are a solid value at home with Civale on the bump, as he was money at home last season. On the flip side, Cease was rather shaky, although he was much better on the road than at home. Still, Chicago’s pitching was shaky in its opening series against the Minnesota Twins, losing two out of three games while coughing up 27 total runs. Look for Cleveland’s offense to take advantage.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Indians (-129) to win straight up nets a return of just $7.75 if they do so.

Run line/Against the spread (ATS)

The INDIANS (-1.5, +145) are worth a small-unit wager against Cease. Plus, the White Sox have won just six of their past 20 games at Progressive Field, so the home side is definitely the play.

Over/Under (O/U)

OVER 9.5 (-110) is worth a look, but don’t get crazy. Civale was untouchable at home in 2019, while Cease was better on the road than at home. However, Chicago’s pitching staff was tattooed for 27 runs (nine runs per game) in the first series against the Twins. After a slow start, totaling four runs in the first two games, the Indians racked up nine in their series-clinching win on Sunday against the Kansas City Royals.

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

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

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Kansas City Royals at Cleveland Indians odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Friday’s Kansas City Royals at Cleveland Indians matchup, with MLB betting predictions, picks and best bets.

The Kansas City Royals visit the division rival Cleveland Indians Friday at Progressive Field for a 7:10 p.m. ET first pitch. We analyze the Royals-Indians MLB betting odds and lines, with betting advice and tips around the matchup.

Royals at Indians: Projected starting pitchers

LHP Danny Duffy vs. RHP Shane Bieber

Duffy was 7-6 with a 4.34 ERA, 115 K’s and 1.31 WHIP in 2019.

  • Duffy went 1-1 with a 4.26 ERA across two starts vs. Cleveland in 2019.
  • The southpaw posted a 5-5 record with a 4.99 ERA and allowed 14 homers in 83 innings across 15 evening starts last season.

Bieber emerged as the Indians’ ace in 2019, registering a 15-8 record, 3.28 ERA and 259 strikeouts with a 1.05 WHIP in 34 appearances (33 starts).

  • Bieber’s 259 strikeouts ranked third in the majors, while he was 15th in ERA.
  • Bieber won his only decision vs. Kansas City but posted a marginal 4.50 ERA and .279 opponent batting average in three starts across 18 innings.

Baseball season is finally here! Get some action on the 2020 season with an MLB bet at BetMGM in NJ, IN, CO and WV. Bet now!

Royals at Indians: Key injuries

(List of injuries around the league)

Royals

  • C Cam Gallagher has been designated for the COVID-19 injured list after testing positive, and his return date is unclear.

Indians

  • CF Delino DeShields is also on the 10-day injured list, as the team wants him to have extra time to recover from his bout with coronavirus. OFs Jordan Luplow (back) and Tyler Naquin (toe) are questionable for the opener.

Royals at Indians: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated Wednesday at 7 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Indians 5, Royals 2

Moneyline (ML)

AVOID. The Indians (-209) should get off on the right foot with their ace on the hill, but risking more than two times your potential return is not a recommended strategy, especially for Game 1. You’re better off looking to the run line.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on the Indians (-209) to win straight up nets a return of just $4.78 if they do so.

Run line/Against the spread (ATS)

Play the INDIANS (-1.5, -110) on the run line, as they look to start out victorious on their home field. While there will not be any fans in the stands at Progressive Field to spur them on, the familiarity of their home park combined with an inferior opponent should mean a successful opener for the Tribe. The Royals are a dismal 9-27 in their past 36 trips to Cleveland.

Over/Under (O/U)

UNDER 8.5 (-110) is the recommended play, although it will be a close shave. The Under has hit in four of the previous five head-to-head meetings in Northeast Ohio, and with the strangeness of the COVID-19 late start and rust, look for plenty of Under results early on until teams get their sea legs.

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

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI 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.

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Calls for Notre Dame to Ditch ‘Fighting Irish’ Nickname Commence

Daniel Morrison of Slap the Sign, Notre Dame’s Fansided site, has launched a campaign for the university to consider changing its nickname.

Daniel Morrison of Slap the Sign, Notre Dame’s Fansided site, has launched a campaign for the university to consider changing its nickname. At a time when the Washington Redskins and Cleveland Indians are taking serious looks at their identities, it only makes sense that this should fall under the spotlight, too. But is it warranted?

In short, Morrison argues that, in spite of many people embracing the Fighting Irish moniker, it’s rooted in negative stereotypes of Catholics and immigrants. He also gives historical context: Irish people once were looked at in the U.S. with the same prejudice that other minority groups are today. Thus, stereotypes were born. As one can see from the aforementioned professional franchises, there’s a long history of those in this country, and now, people are trying to undo what their forefathers did.

Should Notre Dame get rid of the leprechaun logo? Should it simply drop the word “Fighting” from the present nickname? Should it go in a different direction altogether? This could be the beginning of a long debate.

Trump shames Washington for trying to be ‘politically correct’ and changing name

In a tweet on Monday, Trump shamed both Washington and Cleveland for trying to be politically correct and change their controversial names.

President Donald Trump made his thoughts known when it comes to the Washington Redskins and Cleveland Indians potentially changing their team names amidst outcries from fans and the sporting world at large.

While tweeting on Monday afternoon, Trump shamed both teams for trying to be ‘politically correct’ and change their names, claiming that both are names of strength, not weakness.

While there has not yet been any confirmation that Washington is going to change their name, it seems inevitable at this point, with options like the Warriors, Redtails, or Redhawks racing out to the forefront. Whatever the name ends up being, I’m sure Trump will let his thoughts be known.

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President Trump weighs in on teams changing their nicknames

President Trump has jumped into the battle over sports nicknames.

President Donald Trump must be in a sporting mood Monday. First, he went after NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace, then he opined on the ongoing nickname controversy regarding Washington’s NFL team and Cleveland’s MLB team.

The tweets:

A FOX exec countered the NASCAR claim.

It’s not like there is a pandemic raging or anything else to focus on these days.

 

2020 MLB Futures Odds: How many games will the Cleveland Indians win?

Looking at 2020 MLB futures odds for how many games the Cleveland Indians will win in the 60-game MLB season.

How many games will the Cleveland Indians win in the 60-game 2020 MLB season? We look at the Indians‘ MLB futures odds, including their projected 2020 win total and Over/Under odds at BetMGM, and make our best bet.

Cleveland Indians’ 2019 recap

The Indians went an impressive 93-69 last season, yet they still missed out on the playoffs for the first time since 2015. That’s in part because they lost their last five games of the season to finish two games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for a wild-card spot.

Cleveland was good against the run line last season, posting a mark of 86-76 against the spread. The Indians feasted on the AL Central, too, going 48-28 straight up in the division. In interleague play, however, they were just 8-12.

SS Francisco Lindor and 1B Carlos Santana were among the standouts for Cleveland, hitting 32 and 34 home runs, respectively. SP Shane Bieber was a pleasant surprise in the rotation, too, going 15-8.

Cleveland Indians’ offseason

It wasn’t the busiest offseason in Cleveland, but the front office did make some trades. The biggest, of course, was sending SP Corey Kluber to the Texas Rangers. They also acquired C Sandy Leon from the Boston Red Sox and signed 2B Cesar Hernandez in free agency.

Also see:

Cleveland Indians’ 2020 schedule

The Indians will play 102 fewer games this year than in a typical season, suiting up for 60 total games in 2020. Of those 60, 40 will come against the AL Central, with the other 20 coming against the NL Central.

This is to minimize travel for teams across the league, hoping to prevent further spread of coronavirus. The 2020 MLB season will begin July 23 and end  Sept. 27.

Baseball season is finally here! Get some action on the 2020 season with an MLB futures bet at BetMGM in CO, IN, NJ and WV. Bet now!

How many games will the Cleveland Indians win in 2020?

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Monday, July 6 at 11:30 a.m. ET.

The Indians’ projected win total is 32.5 games, which is topped by just seven teams. It’s only five games off the New York Yankees, who are tied for No. 1 and tops in the American League. The OVER implies a win percentage of .550, which they’ve eclipsed in each of the last four years.

As one of the most consistent teams in MLB, they’re a good bet to finish with more than 32 wins. That’s why I’d take the OVER 32.5 (-110) here.

Cleveland Indians’ World Series odds

The Indians are tied for the 10th-best odds to win the World Series, right there with the rival Chicago White Sox and a few others. The AL Central should be fairly competitive, specifically with the Minnesota Twins and White Sox looking like contenders.

At +2500, there’s nice upside even with a small wager. The Indians have proved to be championship material in recent years, and even without Kluber, the Indians are in good shape.

Cleveland Indians’ playoff odds

Cleveland is the second-favorite to win the AL Central at +300, behind only the Twins (-159). The Indians are certainly worth a bet to win the division, especially with it being plus-money. If Minnesota slips a little bit, the Indians could be right there with the Central up for grabs.

Want action on any 2020 MLB futures? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @camdasilva 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.

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Baseball Twitter thinks the Cleveland Indians should be renamed after infamous bugs

Do it!!

Following the Washington Redskins announcing they’re reviewing their team name on Friday, the Cleveland Indians followed suit and said they’re “(determining) the best path forward with regard to our team name.”

It’s a move many people support, including current manager Terry Francona: “I think it’s time to move forward. It’s a very difficult subject.”

So what should the new name be? I’ve seen some intriguing suggestions around social media, but the one that keeps popping up is: the Midges.

Why midges? If you’ll recall, in Game 2 of the 2007 ALDS, New York Yankees pitcher Job Chamberlain was distracted by a swarm of little bugs — called midges — and the hurler eventually tossed a wild pitch and nailed Victor Martinez with a pitch in a playoff game the Yanks lost.

So a lot of folks — including former Yankee Phil Hughes — wants to see the bugs get the nickname:

Do it.

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MLB’s Cleveland team weighs in on the nickname controversy

The Cleveland MLB team in the American League is weighing in on the nickname controversy.

Washington’s NFL is conducting a thorough review of its nickname. The Cleveland baseball team in MLB chimed in Friday with news that it is not sitting idly by with regard to the team’s nickname.

Another team has weighed in during these turbulent times rather than wait and have the controversy seek it out. Washington’s NFL team found itself under siege this week and finally announced it would undertake a thorough review of the nickname.

Here is what the American League team said:

Cleveland has had its nickname for 105 years. The team scuttled “Chief Wahoo,” a source of major controversy in 2019.

Starting in 2019, Chief Wahoo will be gone from all gameday uniforms and will no longer be used by the team at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. The team had a long history with the Chief but ultimately decided it was time to move on.

Originally named the Blues in 1901 when they joined the American League, the team was renamed the Cleveland Naps in 1903 in honor of player Nap Lajoie. After Lajoie left the team, baseball writers helped rename the team the Cleveland Indians. In 1932, the Plain Dealer began publishing strips focused on the team’s outcomes and featured a Native American character.

 

MLB’s Cleveland Indians follow Redskins lead, discuss potential name change

After Redskins announced a thorough review of their controversial name on Friday, the Cleveland Indians followed suit and declared the same.

The Washington Redskins made waves on Friday morning by announcing a potential name change, and now the Cleveland Indians have followed suit.

Washington sent out a release on Friday that they would ‘thoroughly review’ the Redskins name, and its place in our culture at this time. It may not have been a confirmation that the name will change in the near future, but it’s a huge step in that direction. With ‘Redskins’ striking many as a tone-deaf racial slur in the NFL, many have also looked to the MLB, where the Indians have many of the same problems.

The announcement on Friday evening shows that they are listening and watching what the Redskins do, and they’re following suit.

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