Tag: MLB

How many games will the San Francisco Giants win in 2020?

Analyzing San Francisco Giants projected wins for the 2020 MLB season.

The once perennially contending San Francisco Giants are coming into 2020 finishing below .500 for their third consecutive season. They were third in the National League West division and are looking to make the postseason for the first time since 2016. Today, we focus on the Giants’ 2020 regular season win totals and World Series odds. Does the Giants have what it takes? Let’s analyze:

San Francisco Giants 2019 wins

San Francisco’s 77-85 record in 2019 was a four-game improvement from their 2018 performance. But 2019 was still a departure from the reputation the Giants nucleus built in the 2010s where the Giants won an MLB-high three World Series titles.

The Giants did make a slight push for a Wild Card berth—going two games above .500 on August 17—but were never contenders for the NL West crown, finishing 29 games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

San Francisco Giants offseason

The 2019 offseason served as the beginning of the end of an era for the Giants. Four-time All-Star and three-time World Series Champion, Madison Bumgarner, signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Bruce Bochy retired after a 13-year Giants managerial stint. San Francisco’s big offseason moves were replacing Bochy with Gabe Kapler and welcoming back Hunter Pence, who was an All-Star and two-time champion with the Giants.

Baseball season is right around the corner! Get some action on this season with an MLB futures bet at BetMGM. Bet now!

San Francisco Giants odds to win NL West division

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list.
Lines last updated at Friday at 3:45 p.m. ET.

It’s hard to fathom the Giants (+10000) contending in an NL West featuring a rich Dodgers team that got richer this offseason and three other rosters that are more talented than the Giants. 10,000-1 is juicy but not juicy enough to gamble on the Giants taking the NL West from the Dodgers, who have won the previous seven division titles.

San Francisco Giants World Series odds

You can never say impossible in professional sports, but the Giants winning the 2020 World Series is the next closest thing to impossible. The last team to win the World Series after finishing below .500 the year before was the 2014 Giants. But that core had already proven itself—winning two World Series titles in 2012 and 2010—and should the 2020 Giants prevail, there wouldn’t be a more Cinderella Story in the MLB since who knows when.

How many games will San Francisco Giants win in 2020?

BET UNDER GIANTS 68.5 (-110) REGULAR SEASON WINS. There isn’t a single Giants starting pitcher in the projected rotation that finished above .500 in 2019 and no hitter finished above a .275 batting average. BaseballAmerica.com ranked the Giants’ farm system 14th, which is to say the Giants probably can’t bank on call-ups making a difference in 2020. 

Want some action on the MLB season or other sports? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @Geoffery_Clark and @SportsbookWire.

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=1473]

How many games will the Philadelphia Phillies win in 2020?

Analyzing the Phillies’ projected wins for the 2020 MLB season.

The Philadelphia Phillies were one of the most disappointing teams last season after landing superstar Bryce Harper in free agency. They’ll try to bounce back by making the playoffs in 2020, but that won’t be easy in the tough National League.

Today, we focus on the Phillies’ 2020 regular-season win totals and World Series odds. Does Philadelphia have what it takes? Let’s analyze:

Phillies 2019 wins

The Phillies finished fourth in the NL East last season, going 81-81. They fell apart down the stretch, losing seven of their last nine games. Injuries and a suspension to Odubel Herrera had a big impact, as did Harper’s struggles in his first season in Philly.

Phillies offseason

Gabe Kapler is out as the Phillies manager after two seasons and Joe Girardi is now in charge. The team’s biggest moves this offseason came with the signings of RHP Zack Wheeler and SS Didi Gregorius, but it was a relatively uneventful winter for Philadelphia, otherwise.

Aaron Nola is back as the top starter, and OF Andrew McCutchen’s return from injury will provide a boost. Catcher J.T. Realmuto will look to follow up a strong 2019 season, too.

Baseball season is right around the corner! Get some action on this season with an MLB futures bet at BetMGM. Bet now!

Phillies odds to win NL East division

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list.
Lines last updated on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET.

The Phillies have the third-best odds to win the division in 2020 at +310, behind the Braves (+190) and Nationals (+250). The Mets are close behind at +330, too. Philadelphia has as good a chance to win the NL East as any of those three other teams, given its balance of power on offense and talent on the pitching staff.

Phillies World Series odds

The Phillies are +1800 to win the World Series this fall, tied for eighth-best in MLB. If they can stay relatively healthy and the rest of the NL East comes up short of expectations, the Phillies will be in contention in October.

How many games will Phillies win in 2020?

BetMGM has the Phillies’ win total projection set at 85.5 games. Philadelphia hasn’t won that many games since going 102-60 in 2011, but the team has won 80 and 81 games in each of the last two seasons with less talent than it has now.

The Phillies’ schedule won’t be easy, having to play in the NL East, but it’s easy to see them getting to at least 86 wins in 2020. Harper will be more comfortable in Citizens Bank Park and the arrival of Wheeler should improve a pitching staff that had a team ERA of 4.53 last season – the closest team in baseball to the league average. Take the OVER (-106) with the Phillies.

Want some action on the MLB season or other sports? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @camdasilva and @SportsbookWire.

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=1473]

I was wrong for calling the Houston Astros cowards, turns out they’re just idiots

Everyone point and laugh at the Astros.

This is the online version of our morning newsletter, The Morning Win. Subscribe to get irreverent and incisive sports stories, delivered to your mailbox every morning.

On Wednesday I wrote about the Houston Astros being cowards. I called them that word because on the first day that pitchers and catchers reported to spring training the team did not allow media into their facilities and the team even roped off parking lot and had it heavily guarded by security.

I saw that as extremely cowardly because the team knew that the media would be wanting to get some answers about the embarrassing cheating scandal from some pitchers and catches, most notably Justin Verlander, who ended up speaking to reporters on Wednesday and said he wished he would have spoken up when he saw his teammates cheating: “I wish I had said more and I didn’t, and for that I am sorry.”

Well, now it turns out that I was wrong to call them cowards and I must apologize for calling them that. My parents raised me to admit when I was wrong and to say sorry when necessary.

So, I’m sorry.

The Astros aren’t cowards.

They’re just idiots.

I mean, did you see how they handled their “apologies” on Thursday? They had months to figure out the best way to handle this and they apparently settled on being a real-life version of that GIF where the guy walks to the car with a handful of things only to slip and drop them all in spectacular fashion.

The Houston Astros had PR companies across the globe pointing and laughing at them.

The team’s owner, the bumbling Jim Crane, at one moment said this about their sign-stealing: “Our opinion is that this didn’t impact the game.”

Then 55 seconds later, when pressed on that statement, Crane said: “I didn’t say it didn’t impact the game.”

I mean, to steal a line from another popular GIF,  we are laughing!

But Crane’s incredibly poor apology wasn’t even the worst one, which tells you just how amazing this entire fail by the team was on Thursday.

Alex Bregman and Jose Altuve apologized for their actions with such little genuineness that it was stunning and laughable. Everyone on Twitter instantly starting comparing their apologies to Dwight Schrute’s hilarious non-apology from The Office.

Bregman said: “I am really sorry… about the choices… that were made… by my team, by the organization, and by me. I have learned from this… and I hope to regain the trust of baseball fans.”

I mean LOL. That was basically me apologizing to my parents for coming in a few hours after curfew back in my high school days.

Altuve said: “The whole Astros organization feels bad for what happened in 2017. We especially feel remorse for the impact on our fans and the game of baseball. And our teams is determined to move forward and play with intensity and bring back a championship to Houston in 2020.”

Again, they had months to figure this thing out and that’s how they handled it?

Woof.

This year is going to be a mess for this team, and rightfully so. They don’t deserve any forgiveness, at least not yet.

Because what happened on Thursday was another embarrassing day for a franchise that is getting used to those.

Thursday’ biggest winner: Tristan Thompson’s take on LeBron’s diet.

(Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

The Athletic published a great story on Thursday that had a bunch of people who know LeBron James pretty well tell their favorite LeBron James stories. Former teammate Tristan Thompson dished on LeBron’s diet, which sounds like a lot of fun but not like something that should power such a phenomenal athlete. LeBron LOVES dessert and breakfast.

Quick hits: Tiger’s tribute to Kobe… Crazy Zion facts… Pitches for Tom Brady… And more!

– Tiger Woods paid a sweet tribute to Kobe Bryant on the 8th hole at Riviera on Thursday.

– These 6 mind-blowing facts from Zion Williamson’s first nine games of his NBA career are pretty nuts.

– Here are the perfect pitches for all 13 teams that should be chasing down Tom Brady in free agency.

– Some NASCAR legends had some advice for Jimmie Johnson as he enters his final season.

– The clubs inside Alex Rodriguez’s golf bag are as weird as he is.

Bucks Forward Pat Connaughton took to …

Bucks Forward Pat Connaughton took to social media on Wednesday to recruit a Wisconsin sports star for Saturday night at the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in Chicago. Connaughton is one of four selected for the annual skills competition that’s a staple of NBA All Star Weekend. Connaughton tweeted a photo of a note to Christian Yelich that read “Christian, I have a great idea! Meet me in Chicago this weekend. P.C.” (Pat Connaughton)

How many games will the Miami Marlins win in 2020?

Previewing the Miami Marlins’ MLB win total and World Series odds, with MLB betting odds, picks and best bets

The Miami Marlins languished not only at the bottom of the National League East standings in 2019, but they were one of the worst teams in all of baseball. They turned the keys to the car over to younger players, and it was sink or swim – apropos for a team nicknamed the Marlins.

Today, we focus on the Marlins’ 2020 projected regular-season win totals and World Series odds. Do the Marlins have what it takes? Let’s analyze:

Miami Marlins 2019 wins

The Marlins managed just 57 victories against 105 losses in 2019, worst in the National League and third-worst in the majors. It marked their 10th straight losing season and saw them lose the second-most games in franchise history (only the 54-108 campaign in 1998 was worse).

Miami Marlins offseason

The Marlins looked like a disaster on paper last season. They parted with All-Star backstop J.T. Realmuto last offseason, and the roster was full of misfits and no-names. This offseason, the powers that be constructed a roster which looks to be a little more competitive. The addition of 2B/3B Jonathan Villar solidifies the top of the batting order, 1B Jesus Aguilar, an All-Star in Milwaukee in 2018, gives the Marlins some power in the middle of the order, and INF Sean Rodriguez gives the team depth all over the infield. RP Brandon Kintzler was also added, and he figures to close out the rare wins. C Francisco Cervelli is a nice depth-piece addition, and OF Corey Dickerson gives Miami a nice, cheap bat for two years. Hey, even OF Matt Kemp could be a steal if he still has anything left in the tank.

Baseball season is right around the corner! Get some action on this season with a MLB futures bet at BetMGM. Sign up at BetMGM now!

Miami Marlins World Series odds

The Marlins (+100000) share the longest odds with the Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals, so don’t expect any parades down Calle Ocho anytime soon. Still, this team should make some improvement in the standings.

How many games will the Marlins win in 2020?

I like the Marlins to go OVER 64.5 (-110) wins and avoid back-to-back triple-digit loss seasons. They have smartly added some offense and veteran leadership, and they have a slew of talented prospects ready to make their make in South Florida, too. This team won’t jump up and be remotely close to challenging the Atlanta Braves or Washington Nationals, but it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Marlins flirting with 70 wins in September, either. They’ll be a tough out down the stretch when other NL teams are trying to position themselves for postseason seeding, and the Marlins might actually have their fans looking forward to 2021.

Want some action on the MLB season or other sports? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire.

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=1473]

Astros’ Altuve, Bregman, owner Jim Crane apologize for 2017 sign-stealing

The sports world has been waiting since November to hear apologies from the Houston Astros for the sign-stealing scandal that rocked the baseball offseason.

The sports world has been waiting since November to hear apologies from the Houston Astros for the sign-stealing scandal that rocked the baseball offseason.

Everyone made the same ‘Office’ joke about the Astros’ terrible apologies

“I state my regret.”

The Houston Astros’ apologies on Thursday haven’t exactly gone over well.

Owner Jim Crane, players Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman, and new manager Dusty Baker all spoke to the media. Altuve and Bregman didn’t take questions. Crane did and was slammed everywhere for his answers.

So that led to lots and lots of jokes about the whole thing on Twitter, many of them using Dwight Schrute’s non-apology from The Office, from the two-part “Stress Relief” episodes in which he was asked to apologize for staging a fire to teach his co-workers a lesson about safety when there’s a blaze.

Here’s the clip:

And here a bunch of people using that clip in the context of what the Astros said on Thursday:

[jwplayer uxqsO5LX-q2aasYxh]

MLB needs to dump commissioner Rob Manfred, like, right now

Rob Manfred is bad for baseball.

How is Rob Manfred still the commissioner of Major League Baseball?

How hasn’t someone stormed into his office on Park Avenue in New York City and dragged him down to the front door and booted him out onto the sidewalk?

How is he still allowed to bring down the great game of baseball like this in broad daylight?

Because that’s exactly what he’s doing.

First. we had the cowardly Houston Astros get busted for cheating well after they won a World Series title because of it. Manfred suspended the team’s manager and general manager – two guys who really didn’t have much to do with it – over the scandal. They were then quickly fired by the Astros.

Manfred, of course, did not punish any of the players who helped power the elaborate sign-stealing setup, a scheme that damaged the reputation of the league and cost many opposing players some career-defining moments. I mean, why would you suspend star players when you can just punish their bosses?

Total gutless move by Manfred there.

Then a few days ago ESPN released details of possible new playoff formats that would have 14(!) teams make the postseason and could include teams picking who they want to play in the playoffs, which is just bananas.

Then on Wednesday the league made a new rule official that is “designed” to speed up the game but will instead just like hurt the game – the three-batter minimum rule. That means a starting pitcher or relief pitcher must face a minimum of three batters or until the offensive team is put out, which is ridiculous.

Manfred, who took over as commissioner in 2015, has long slid under the radar among the other commissioners of the big four sports, partly because he has helped make baseball less popular over the years. But now the focus is starting to zero in on him and the heat is being turned up.

And rightfully so.

If you saw the documentary “Screwball” then you saw how much of a disgusting mess Manfred made of the steroid era during the A-Rod steroid days. And that was back when he was working under then commissioner Bud  Selig.

Manfred is now the man in charge of baseball and right now he’s doing a terrible job at it. The faster MLB can move on from this guy the better, because right now is a pretty darn rough time for the sport and Manfred doesn’t seem like the guy who can turn things around.

Which is a shame because the game deserves better.

Wednesday’s biggest winner: Jameis Winston.

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

The QB is apparently doing everything necessary to make himself and even more attractive option when free agency begins because he went out and got LASIK eye surgery to correct his vision. This led to many obvious jokes from fans, but still, good for Winston. And good for all these funny jokes.

Quick hits: Inside Nike’s SNKRS app… Jimmie Johnson feeling like a unicorn… TNT’s disrespectful All-Star tweet… And more!

– My pal and colleague, Mike Sykes, wrote about the battles he and other sneakerheads have faced on Nike’s SNKRS app and it’s a really good read, even if you aren’t a sneakerhead.

– Our Michelle Martinelli is in Daytona all week for the Daytona 500 and she has a good story on Jimmie Johnson feeling like a unicorn before the race.

– Lots of NBA fans ripped TNT over Kevin Durant’s placement on this All-Star Game graphic.

– Hemal Jhaveri explains why NBC Sports did the right thing by firing Jeremy Roenick.

– Charles Curtis does an important investigation into whether or not Tom Brady had some cake.

The Houston Astros proved today that they are a bunch of cowards

The Astros hid from the media and roped off their parking lot today in Florida.

The Houston Astros, as you might have heard, had one heck of an offseason. It was found that they cheated a lot over the years by stealing signs, they fired their manager and general manager because of it, and should now be prepping for what will be rightfully be a mess of a year for their players every time they take the field this season.

On Wednesday their pitchers and catchers reported to spring training in West Palm Beach, Fla., which meant we’d finally get to hear from the likes of Justin Verlander and others about this whole scandal, right?

Yeah, no.

The Astros instead hid from all media, blocked off the parking lot at the team’s facility, and acted like this will all go away if they just ignore it.

What a bunch of cowards.

As I said before, this is going to be a mess of a year for the Astros, as it should be. That’s what happens when you cheat the game and get caught for it.

It’s also what happens when players who cheated don’t get punished for it, which has happened with the Astros because MLB commissioner Rob Manfred is terrible at his job.

Now the Astros are going to start the year off by roping off their parking lot and keeping media out of their facility?

I mean, I’m not in PR but even I know this his a horrific way to kick things off.

The Astros need to be honest and open from Day 1. Guys like Verlander – who had to know what was going on – need to face the media immediately. The franchise needs to be a lot better than this, especially since they had so much time leading up to today to figure out how to handle this situation.

Things are about to get even worse for this team. Just wait until they hit the road this season. You think stadiums around the league are gonna be quiet? You think pitchers aren’t going to be throwing at guys?

This team is going to be swimming in you-know-what for quite some time.

If what they did today is a sign of how they are going to handle things moving forward, then more power to the masses who are going to call them out on it.

[jwplayer Q7OZRF5I-q2aasYxh]