Tag: Seattle Mariners

Former Michigan State pitcher Anthony Misiewicz makes MLB debut for Seattle Mariners

Misiewicz pitched one inning for the Seattle Mariners Friday night.

It was a big day of debuts across Major League Baseball Friday night and a former Michigan State Spartan was among those getting their first tastes of the big leagues.

Former Spartan pitcher Anthony Misiewicz made his MLB debut for the Seattle Mariners Friday night. Misiewicz threw one inning against the Houston Astros, giving up two hits and an earned run while striking out one batter.

A former Anchor Bay star, Misiewicz pitched for MSU from 2013-15 and turned professional after the Mariners selected him in the 18th round of the 2015 draft. Misiewicz has slowly risen through the minor leagues since, even getting traded to Tampa Bay and then back to Seattle at one point in his career. His minor league stops have included Everett (WA), Bakersfield (CA), Modesto (CA), Little Rock (AR), Montgomery (AL), and Tacoma (WA).

Misiewicz is the only former Spartan baseball player currently in the MLB.

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Seattle Mariners at Houston Astros odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Friday’s Seattle Mariners at Houston Astros sports betting odds and lines, with MLB betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Seattle Mariners visit the Houston Astros Friday for their season opener at Minute Maid Park with a 9:10 p.m. ET first pitch. We analyze the Mariners-Astros MLB betting odds and lines, with MLB betting advice and tips around the matchup.

Mariners at Astros: Projected starting pitchers

LHP Marco Gonzales vs. RHP Justin Verlander

Gonzales (2019): 16-13, 3.99 ERA, 147 K, 56 BB

  • Gonzales struggled against Houston in 2019, going 0-2 in four starts with a 5.66 ERA, 10 strikeouts and 12 walks in 20 2/3 innings.
  • Seven Astros expected to be in the lineup have a batting average of at least .333 against Gonzales. Five hit at least .400 against him.

Verlander (2019): 21-6, 2.58 ERA, 300 K, 42 BB

  • Verlander went 3-0 against the Mariners in five starts with an ERA of 2.97, while striking out 40 batters in 30 1/3 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!

Mariners at Astros: Key injuries

Visit sportsdata.usatoday.com to track all MLB injuries leading up to game time.

Mariners

  • OF Mitch Haniger (groin) out indefinitely
  • RP Yoshihisa Hirano (illness) out indefinitely
  • C Tom Murphy (foot) out indefinitely

Astros

  • 2B Jose Altuve (leg) probable
  • OF Yordan Alvarez (knee) out indefinitely

Mariners at Astros: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips

MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated Friday at 7:30 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Astros 7, Mariners 4

Moneyline (ML)

Houston is a heavy favorite at -294, as a 2020 World Series favorite against a Mariners team not expected to compete in 2020. Verlander continues to dominate. There isn’t any value, but this is a SURE PLAY taking the ASTROS (-294).

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Houston will win you $3.40 in profit.

Run line/Against the spread (ATS)

Houston is favored at -2.5 (+105) on the run line. They covered more than 53% of their games in 2019, the fifth-highest rate in the majors. With this lopsided pitching matchup, don’t overthink it. Take the ASTROS -2.5 (+105) to win by at least a three-run margin.

Over/Under (O/U)

The total is set at 8.5 runs. Seattle’s games hit the Over more than 55% of the time last season. Being the first game of the year, batters will be ramped up, and with how the Astros hitters did against Gonzales in 2019, Houston could come close to hitting the Over all by itself. Take the OVER 8.5 (-110).

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

Follow @senorjessroot 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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2020 MLB Futures Odds: How many games will the Seattle Mariners win?

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

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

Seattle Mariners’ 2019 recap

Seattle finished in last place in the American League West in 2019, going 68-94 overall. The M’s were better against the run line, going 80-82, and they were one of the most consistent teams at hitting the Over in their games. They were 87-69-6 against projected totals. Only four teams in the majors hit more Overs.

Seattle Mariners’ offseason

The Mariners did not lose much in the way of talent, although P Felix Hernandez‘s 15-year career in Seattle ended when he signed with the Atlanta Braves this offseason.

They also did not add much. They signed two former Arizona Diamondbacks pitchers — starter Taijuan Walker and reliever Yoshihisa Hirano. They extended the contracts of P Marco Gonzalez and 1B Evan Walker.

Seattle Mariners’ 2020 schedule

Seattle will play 40 games in its division and another 20 against the National League West. They will kick off their season July 24, opening with a four-game road set against the Houston Astros and then another three games on the road against the Los Angeles Angels. They will close the season on the road against the Oakland Athletics.

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

How many games will the Seattle Mariners win in 2020?

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday, July 10 at 11 a.m. ET.

The Mariners’ projected win total for the 60-game season is 24.5. They play in a tough division with the Astros and Athletics and are counting on a lot of youth to develop, which is not ideal in a short season.

While some struggling teams might pack it in if off to a slow start in a short season, Seattle will remain competitive. Take the OVER 24.5 wins, although they’re likely to land somewhere in the 25-27 range.

Seattle Mariners’ World Series odds

Seattle, at +50000 to win the World Series, is one of the longest shots in the majors. Only the Baltimore Orioles have longer odds. DO NOT bet the Mariners to win the World Series.

Seattle Mariners’ playoff odds

Every team wants to say it will be competitive and shoot for the playoffs, but it’s not in the cards for the Mariners this year.

They have the longest odds by far to win the AL West at +6500 and are +1500 to make the playoffs at all. They are –5000 not to make the postseason, but those odds aren’t worth the wager, as you only win 20 cents for every $10 you wager. AVOID any futures bets on the Mariners.

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

Follow @senorjessroot 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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I was so dumb to think a Ken Griffey Jr. card was gonna make me rich for life

This beautiful card was supposed to set me up for life!

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

Whenever I hear about Ken Griffey Jr. or see old highlights of him hitting a ball to the moon with that beautiful swing of his, I can’t help but think about how dumb I once was (or still am, which is certainly up for debate).

That happened again Sunday night when MLB Network debuted “Junior,” an awesome documentary that tells the story of Griffey’s legendary career, growing up in MLB clubhouses with his dad, and later being teammates with his pops.

So why does Griffey make me feel so bad about myself? When I was in the prime of my youth and collecting baseball cards, I got a Ken Griffey Jr. 1989 Upper Deck rookie card and immediately thought my financial future was set! I spent a few bucks on a nice protective case for the card and as I slipped it in I was sure that debt would never be an issue for me and neither would be acquiring pizza whenever I saw fit. I had it made. I had the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card! Beckett Baseball Card Monthly had this thing going through the roof!

I think we can all agree that kids, for the most part, are dumb. That’s part of being a kid, you learn stuff about life as you go along and then at some point you get smart and realize how dumb you were as a kid. It’s just how things go. It’s the path we all take. That’s life.

But I can’t help to think of how funny my parents must have thought it was when their dumb son spent five bucks on an individual case to cover a baseball card that he thought would someday at least help him buy a car and maybe more. I mean, I handled that card with such care, making sure none of the corners got damaged as it went into its case. As a kid I wasn’t very careful about a lot of things. That Griffey card, however, wasn’t one of those things. That card was serious business. That card was my future!

Well, when I saw that the Griffey documentary was on last night I went to eBay to see how much one of those cards goes for these days. Don’t worry, I’m at least a little smarter now and knew how this was going to go.

Right now you can get a Ken Griffey Jr. 1980 Upper Deck rookie card for 12.50. That’s twelve dollars and fifty cents. Forget about limitless pizza, that won’t even buy you a single large pie at the place down the street from me.

I could only laugh and think back to that day when I first looked at that gorgeous baseball card and thought I had things all figured out. Ah, to be a dumb kid again. Those were the days.

But whatever. It’s still fun to see that swing of Griffey’s. And that smile. And that hat turned backwards.

He was a legend of my youth and is one of the greatest baseball players to ever play the game. I mean, he hit back-to-back homers with his dad in a MLB game! That has to be one of the craziest things to ever happen in sports.

I just wish his rookie card could have helped me a little more.

Weekend’s biggest winner: LeBron James.

Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

This photo of LeBron and his daughter on Father’s Day might be the best LeBron photo ever. It also got people talking about his hairline, but whatever – it’s a special photo.

Quick hits: ESPY’s awesome BLM intro… Pulisic’s sweet goal… UFC fighter throws in towel.

– The ESPYs happened Sunday night and this Black Lives Matter intro by Russell Wilson, Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird was pretty great.

Christian Pulisic scored the tying goal in his first Chelsea appearance since January and it was a pretty sweet goal.

– A UFC fighter did the right thing for himself Saturday when he threw in the towel after his corner wouldn’t.

Two former UGA baseball players sign MLB contracts

Due to the 2020 MLB Draft being shortened to five rounds this year, a high number of collegiate standouts saw themselves go undrafted in last week’s draft. Two of those players are former Georgia Bulldogs Tucker Bradley and Cam Shepherd. Redshirt …

Due to the 2020 MLB Draft being shortened to five rounds this year, a high number of collegiate standouts saw themselves go undrafted in last week’s draft.

Two of those players are former Georgia Bulldogs Tucker Bradley and Cam Shepherd.

Redshirt junior outfielder Bradley and senior shortstop Shepherd, though, have both since signed with MLB teams.

Bradley signed with the Kansas City Royals and Shepherd with the Atlanta Braves.

Shepherd:

“These past four years at the University of Georgia wearing the G on my chest has been nothing short of a dream,” Shepherd posted on his Twitter. “The memories and the relationships I have built will last a lifetime. My family, coaches, teammates and friends have not only shaped my baseball career but helped me grow to be the person I am today. Thank you to Dawg Nation and everyone who gave me nothing but support along the way. I am excited to say that I have signed and will be continuing my baseball career with the Atlanta Braves. Playing professional baseball has been a goal of mine since I picked up a bat and to have the opportunity to play for my hometown team is a dream come true. Can’t wait to get back on the field and get started!”

Bradley:

“I am so blessed and excited to announce that I will have the opportunity to continue my baseball career with the Kansas City Royals! This has been a dream of mine since I was a little boy and to be able to continue my journey is everything I could have ever asked for,” Bradley tweeted earlier this week. “I want to thank UGA, my previous coaches, my family, and most importantly, my Faith for allowing me to pursue my dream.”

Georgia baseball’s Emerson Hancock the No. 6 pick in the 2020 MLB Draft

In Yesterday’s first-round of the 2020 MLB Draft, Georgia baseball ace-pitcher Emerson Hancock was drafted by the Seattle Mariners.

In Yesterday’s first-round of the 2020 MLB Draft, Georgia baseball ace-pitcher Emerson Hancock was selected by the Seattle Mariners with the No. 6 pick.

Hancock (6-4, 213) is from Cairo, Georgia, and was a star on the diamond for the Bulldogs the last two seasons. In the short 2020 season, Hancock registered a team-high 34 strikeouts, followed by a dominant sophomore season in 2019 where Hancock registered an 8-3 record with a 1.99 ERA (eight best in school history).

Hancock finished his career with a 16-7 record, 3.47 ERA in 33 appearances, all starts, with 206 strikeouts and 55 walks in 192 innings and becomes the highest drafted Georgia player in the MLB Draft since Derek Lilliquist was drafted No. 6 in 1987.

The draft resumes today, Thursday, June 11 at 5 p.m. ET with Rounds 2-5 on ESPN and the MLB Network.

 

Coronavirus: How MLB opening day could be impacted

MLB is reportedly considering moving games to safer sites.

The 2020 Major League Baseball regular season is scheduled to begin on March 26th with Opening Day, but the growing threat of coronavirus across the country could force schedule changes, or potentially leave some teams playing in empty stadiums.

In several MLB markets, government officials have advised a ban on large gatherings of people, which has led MLB to reportedly consider moving games out of areas with a concentration of coronavirus cases.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, regular-season games could be held at spring training sites, or in cities without coronavirus outbreaks.

On Tuesday, the Associated Press reported that Washington governor Jay Inslee plans to ban all gatherings of more than 250 people in the Seattle metro area, which would force the Mariners to either play elsewhere or play in an empty T-Mobile Park. As the virus continues to spread, it seems likely that other teams could soon deal with similar bans.

Also on Tuesday, Ohio governor Mike DeWine called for all sporting events held indoors to be staged without spectators – but not all venues are ready to comply with the governor’s wishes. Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland announced that it will continue to host events with fans, and that the arena will “continue to evaluate” the situation. The venue is set to host first and second round games in the NCAA tournament later this month.

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