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00:00So much happening on this Thursday as we welcome you to our number two live right here on the early line on sports grid
00:06He is Donnie right side
00:07I am Ben Stevens just because we get a little heated at the end of one hour does not mean it will carry over to
00:14Our number two or maybe it does you never know but DRS we get the people excited
00:19Not just for the sweet 16 and a return to action in the 2025 men's NCAA tournament this second hour
00:27Dedicated to opening day in full around Major League Baseball
00:31Yes
00:31The season officially underway as of last week with the two games set in Tokyo between the Dodgers and the Cubs
00:38But today it starts for basically everybody the Rays and the Rockies wait until Friday
00:44But 28 of 30 MLB clubs in action. We've got 14 games with 11 of those 14
00:52Starting at either 3 p.m
00:53Or 4 p.m
00:54Eastern before we get into the night's late for the NCAA tournament so much to get you ready for for opening day
01:02But not just opening day around the beach DRS the entirety of this long
01:07162 game season in Major League Baseball
01:10Like we've I feel like we made it now right cuz like football for me NFL football is such a passion
01:15Just like everybody loves it. The Super Bowl is there and these sort of decompressed
01:18We understand we have you know college basketball to carry us through in the month of March in early April
01:23But it just feels like when baseball is here
01:25You have that long grind now late March all the way through to early November next year and the best part about it
01:32It's like an NFL slate Ben every single day that starts today. You see the lineups. You're gonna see the home run videos
01:38I'm gonna have my notifications on my phone that beeps into my or vibrates into my watch where it's like
01:44Run scored at this point home run scored here bet cash is at this point. I love it
01:48It'll be so much fun to watch. I'm a Phillies fan. I enjoy the ride all the way through the summer
01:52So for me that long poker journey starts today and we made it and it just feels great
01:58It is always a very exciting thing to get ready for opening day
02:02It feels like they start of a new season not just in baseball
02:06But in the weather outside you can see spring on the horizon summer right around the corner
02:11There is the nostalgia the tradition the pageantry of Major League Baseball
02:16America's pastime of course, so it is always a great time to get started in opening day
02:22Does it lose a little bit of its luster in late April into May as we have other things going on?
02:27Sure, will there be a lot of attention on it back in the summer months?
02:31Absolutely. Nothing better than a beer a dog and taking in a baseball game
02:36We'll get you set for opening day around MLB
02:39But we do so first the RS with that big-picture perspective for this
02:432025
02:44Campaign we will go through our preseason
02:48Major League Baseball on opening day pick six our World Series champ our favorite pennant bet a win total to the over
02:56Or under but we both went over an award that we like could be MVP
03:01Cy Young manager of the year
03:03Maybe even a different one home run leader around MLB and will Paul skeins the prince that was promised in Pittsburgh
03:11throw a true no-hitter this year in a second year in the bigs in
03:162025 DRS, let's start at the very top at the end of a hundred and sixty-two games at the end of a long
03:23postseason month in October even extending into early November who was winning a World Series in the
03:292025 MLB season
03:31That's pretty simple and most people are gonna have this and it's not even price point appropriate
03:35But it doesn't matter if it's gonna win
03:37It's gonna cash a ticket and I'm not just gonna take a flyer on a team down the list or a team that I like
03:42It's the Los Angeles Dodgers because on a day-to-day basis for them to open the season
03:46They are the best team the best lineup the best starting pitching staff and the best bullpen
03:51We talked about the NFL been so many times or football in general. What do you have to win?
03:55Hey two out of three offense defense and special teams every single day. The Dodgers will win all three of those
04:0399% of the time and here's the best part about the Dodgers as well, which I've told you many times been this Dodgers team that
04:09You see an opening day. Oh my goodness. Look at all the talent that roster
04:12It's ridiculous wait to the deadline when they had two more all-stars on top of it and then continue for their playoff push at the
04:18End of the season everything works for the Dodgers. They are the favorites. They are the public favorites
04:22They are the price point favorites at the fans of sportsbook and they should be and by a wide
04:27Margin, the Dodgers by far are the best team in baseball right now
04:30And even if they lose two or three starters to injury, they will replenish that at the trade deadline
04:35It's unfair as it might be. I'm taking the Dodgers as they did last year DRS
04:40Who started game number one in the World Series for LA was a title class now was it show?
04:45Hey, oh, Tony
04:46No
04:46It was Jack Flaherty a guy they acquired at the all-star break or around that trade deadline
04:52Because of the injuries to the starting staff, who do they add this offseason?
04:57Well glass now should be back plate
04:59Snell is now there and show a Oh Tony should be on the bump mixed in with Rokie
05:04Sasaki who was the prize recruit all around MLB and we're not even talking about guys like Dustin May
05:11returning to the starting staff for LA as well, it is a
05:15Plethora of riches an embarrassment of wealth for LA and Donnie
05:20It's not a great bet at plus 240 right here right now before a hundred and sixty two games to cash that ticket in early
05:27November, but I don't think that's gonna be the number by the time we get to early November
05:32So maybe from that perspective
05:33It is a good bet at plus 240 you could make an argument for every other team in that list and I would hear it
05:40Just for me value
05:42Handicapping perspective you could tell me this four-digit price is the better number. There's no doubt about it
05:48That's not a good number on the Dodgers
05:50Donnie and I are not being sharp because we are betting on the very short World Series favorites
05:55I just find it a hard time to believe the Dodgers will not be there at the end of the road
06:00So much can happen. It's
06:0262 games injuries can creep up that play can creep up and even by the time you get to October
06:09It can be a couple of bad nights and a five game set in the NLDS that erases the World Series favorites
06:15We understand all of that
06:17But at the end of the day Donnie who's going to be there in a World Series to me the Dodgers are an absolute must
06:23So I don't think it's a bad bet at plus
06:25240 to look at that price and expect the Dodgers to be a World Series champion when this very long MLB season is said and
06:32done
06:33Now it's like buying a bond right and say you know what? Hey, I don't want to tie this money up
06:37But it's almost guaranteed money when it comes through on the other side, which you have to wait seven eight nine months to get that
06:43Payback, but if it's worth your while so be it just like we talked about that Giants team total yesterday
06:47Hey, why would you lay out that much debt that money for that long a period and only get back minus 130 on the actual juice?
06:53Well because it's like a savings bond put that away
06:56Recover it in a couple months and away you go at this point the Los Angeles Dodgers are so deep and talented and again
07:02It's just the aspect of sometimes teams have weaknesses like the Dodgers are weakness with the starting pitching staff
07:07And still won the World Series how they fortify that with the estimated opening day lineup
07:11Which has like five all-stars just in their starting lineup alone
07:15And as you said if you look at the IL pending for some of those pitchers
07:18there's five or six major league pitchers waiting to get back to this roster who won't even find themselves on the active roster because the
07:24Roster is too good at this point as the word you've used an embarrassment of riches is correct here
07:29We would all be shocked if the Dodgers are not winning the World Series
07:34And you have guys like show hey, oh Donnie and Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman and up and down the roster from the 1 through 9
07:41It's incredible
07:42And then you have guys before my Kiki Hernandez and Tommy Edmund who were in consideration for World Series MVP
07:48It is truly just insane. So Donnie if we are backing the Dodgers at a short price
07:54I assume then we look at the other side of things for what that pennant best bet is. Where do you look for that best price?
08:01Yeah, I'm obviously we just talked about how much we love the Dodgers so there's no best price on hey, you know
08:06Let's I think the Dodgers gonna win it but the best pennant odds or somebody else in the National League
08:09Well, it'd be the Phillies the Mets and the Braves. We're not doing that here
08:12So I'm gonna go out to the AL West and I'm gonna take a look at the Texas Rangers because why I think the AL was
08:18Up for grabs. So I think the Yankees are a good team
08:20Yes, but they're already injured but just to keep it simple for me that lineup Simeon Seager Langford Peterson Garcia
08:25Jung Tavares Bergen Heim, they are going to hit continue to hit and do it all summer
08:31They just need that pitching staff to say somewhat healthy. They'll be in the mix for me
08:34It's the Rangers with the pennant the American League eight to one price
08:37I think it's a really good point DRS will continue to break down the American League and our MLB
08:432025 pick six
08:45It is opening day once again in Major League Baseball to begin the 2025 campaign
08:51We give you our pick six looking very big picture at the entirety of a hundred and sixty two games and then some in
08:58October and early November both of us selected the Dodgers to win a World Series. It's not a sharp play
09:04It's not anything uncommon. It's a plus 240 price on LA to win a World Series
09:09But we just find it hard to find a way for LA not to be there at the pinnacle of the sport for a second
09:16Consecutive year, which means if we're looking at a pennant price the value could be in the National League
09:21You could say bet the Braves the Phillies the Mets
09:24Anybody the Cubbies to win an NL pennant to try to get that value toward the end of the road against the Dodgers
09:30But that can't be where we go both looking at the American League DRS went the Rangers at an 8 to 1 price
09:36Donnie I'm surprised you did not go with the Boston Red Sox and it should be made a distinction atop those a open at prices
09:43All the three best numbers hail from the same division in the AL East
09:48The Yanks still the favorites the O's it plus 650 the Red Sox it plus 750
09:54I feel like Boston knows in fed way this year. That's your American League team in 2025
09:59It is and I do like them and I'm gonna bet them a lot on a day-to-day basis the RBI props
10:04I love the way that lineup is the reason I went with the Rangers as opposed to taking the Boston Red Sox was the division
10:10They play in I think it's much more manageable for me to get a win in the for the Rangers in the division and you
10:15Might say well done that doesn't mean pennant
10:17But it means you get home field advantage in that first round if I'm buying against the Yankees and the Orioles where I might be
10:22A wild-card team. It's just a tougher path to win the actual pennant. So that was my thought process behind it
10:27I do like the Red Sox a lot
10:29I just think the path might be a little bit easier come playoff time for the Rangers than it would be for a wild-card team
10:34Which might be the Boston Red Sox?
10:35It's a good point the Yankees are still the favorites, but of course the big story for New York
10:40It is not Derek Cole getting to start today to throw out that first pitch for the Yanks in our first pitch of opening day
10:47It's Carlos Rodon call out for the entirety of
10:50This season after undergoing Tommy John surgery my pennant pick in the American League
10:56The Detroit Tigers at a 10 to 1 number. I believe in Terrence Google
11:01I believe in the addition of Jack Flaherty back in the Motor City
11:04I believe in this young Tigers roster led by AJ Hinch that got the playoff experience a year ago
11:10Their first time in the postseason since 2014 their first playoff win in over a decade as well
11:17Hosting a playoff game inside Comerica Park in Detroit. That was news alone
11:23You have that experience and now you get from that DRS valuable growth
11:28I'm gonna go with the Detroit Tigers to win the American League pennant at a 10 to 1 price
11:33It has been a long time since even a team from the American League Central has won the pennant in the AL since
11:402016 when Cleveland did so to take on the Cubbies in a World Series
11:46I'm going to back the Detroit Tigers at a price that I like a 10 to 1 number
11:51It's not a bad price too because as we take a look at the American League, which we both went as opposed to the National
11:56League I do believe it's wide open and a lot of teams can win and once you do get to the playoffs
12:01You're only as good sometimes as your first one-two punch and the Detroit Tigers got a good one-two punch which includes maybe the best
12:06Punch in Major League Baseball and Tarek scuba was gonna tangle today with Blake Snell with two of the best lefties in Major League
12:13Baseball going toe-to-toe on our opening day, which is fantastic, but I can see it you're building on last year
12:17Hey, just happy to be here right last year. Not the case this year if they get back there
12:20They're looking to do some damage
12:22The Tigers kind of like the Lions in a marquee game to start off a season when they were this perceived team on the come-up
12:29Detroit and LA from the ravine today a little bit after 4 p.m
12:34Local time there in LA a little bit after 7 p.m
12:37Eastern Tarek scuba and Blake Snell now making his debut in Dodger blue and Donnie
12:42Just to speak to the strength of the Dodgers Snell and the Dodgers against the reigning
12:48American League Cy Young winner in Tarek scuba
12:51minus 168 out of a hundred and sixty two games if the Dodgers are an underdog more than
12:57Ten to twelve times. I think we would be absolutely
13:01Shocked. Let's look at a win total bet that we like DRS
13:04Maybe trying to find somewhere in the weeds not a team like the Dodgers or the Yankees to get to a hundred wins
13:10But maybe more middle of the pack around MLB. What team gets your attention?
13:14You can lose around 90 games for this team and still hit their team total
13:18That's the value I'm looking forward to and understand this too a lot of plague around the Oakland Athletics for the past couple years
13:23And even for the players themselves
13:25You're playing in a home stadium where you know is not going to be your home stadium with the worst stadiums in the entire
13:30Major League Baseball where your fans are very apathetic towards your franchise because they know you're moving gear you get out of it
13:36Now I'm not saying you go to a home field advantage in Sacramento
13:39but where you are going is to a ballpark that you can actually deliver the goods on offense and be a
13:44Positive as opposed to be a negative where you're playing in 55 degrees at night extra foul territory
13:49The reason I bring this up is I like the lineup for the Oakland Athletics and my team
13:53You know is gonna go over 71 and a half and here's the reason why
13:56Sometimes you have to look at projections of the lineup to see how they were going to do now again as I just told you
14:01One of the toughest hitting ballparks in baseball when the best pitchers ballparks was in Oakland
14:05That's no longer the case now heat and humidity will start to creep in there in Northern, California
14:09Which didn't in the Bay Area, but look at the anticipated lineup Lawrence Butler projection 26 home runs Brent Rooker
14:1539 home runs get to know that name JJ Bladet 24 bombs Langa leaders 26 home runs Satterstrom 22 home runs
14:23That's just the first five in that lineup
14:25It's almost like a rebirth for the franchise now that they're not in Oakland
14:28The team started to spend a little bit more money in the offseason knowing they gotta have a pretty good team on the field
14:33By the time they hit Vegas 71 and a half 72 wins here. Come on now
14:38I'm gonna buy of the Athletics this year who only go by the Athletics this year
14:42Yeah, no, Oakland no, Sacramento just the
14:46Athletics and speaking of that guy DRS Lawrence Larry Butler as we will call him here
14:52He's an absolute stud and he got paid by the A's to be a cornerstone of that franchise
14:58I love the look a lot of young talent like you mentioned in that starting lineup one through nine
15:04But also back down to the bullpen Mason Miller might be the best reliever in the American League with all due respect to Emmanuel
15:10Class a Mason Miller could absolutely hurl. I also kind of like to look in the 70s
15:16It's what I learned from our MLB insider in Craig
15:20Mish, well, I'll go to a team maybe under the radar in the National League Central
15:24Give me the Cincinnati Reds also with a great superstar in Ellie de la Cruz
15:28They got 77 wins last year did Cincy they had 82 the year before they've been 18
15:33That's kind of middle of the pack. Maybe looking to make that run toward playoff contention
15:37I think the Reds might have something to say they added Gavin Lux Austin Hayes this offseason Brady singer a reliable starter from
15:46Kansas City and Hunter green bona fide ace and an all-star last year for the Reds
15:51I'll go Cincy over 70 79 and a half
15:54Why not and Donnie for both of our divisions a little bit up in the air?
15:58Not exactly that frontrunner like the Dodgers in the NL West plenty more in our pick six. Yeah
16:05Let's go individual now as we get you ready for the MLB season in 2025
16:10We've given you a World Series champ a pennant pick and of course a win total to the over that we like
16:16Let's talk awards and Donnie normally you would think okay MVP Cy Young where these guys going a lot of awards now
16:23manager of the year reliever of the year rookie of the year
16:28Comeback player of the year who gets your attention DRS in this pick six
16:33Absolutely, we're going to Mike Trout here and by the way back in the day, you know Ben's that if you guys didn't know
16:38We'll take him to Disneyland roll him right over there to see his favorite team the Los Angeles Angels
16:42Is their home base was Orange County?
16:44So having said that I think I'll bring Ben into the equation and go with his hometown team here
16:49It's the Angels and it's Mike Trout having a very good spring train now
16:52We understand he could hit seven home runs in the month of April slide in the second base
16:57And we won't see him again for the rest of the year
16:58there is that option but I'm figuring with a big name that has a really good season and they got a good guy overall that
17:06The press loves how can he not win this award as the comeback player of the year by just having a solid season?
17:12It's Mike Trout
17:13The only thing my cloud this vision if this trout is too damn good as his 16 to 1 price for an MVP
17:18He's not gonna come back of the year and be the MVP. You're not well both of those awards
17:23So he needs to have a good award, but not too good for me
17:26I do believe in Joe Friezo producer extraordinaire, correct?
17:29Somebody done Chris sale Chris sale one NL Cy Young and comeback player of the year last year, right?
17:36He did MVP. I think maybe MVP will be a little bit different like that
17:40That's sort of higher up like we can't give him this because that's almost like a slap in the face as a comeback of the
17:44Year, so you just give him the MVP because it's like
17:48The league but I'm not the best overall offensive player like that's what I'm figuring
17:52Who's got the second best price to win American League comeback player of the year, that would be Jacob de Grom
17:57I could see a DRS like if the Grom got a great and trout is great
18:02But yeah, I like the look for my trout. My concern is not it's so good
18:06He wins MVP, but just he plays 63 games. The Angels have won 19 of them and they're like
18:13See ya or hey, let's just sit this down
18:17Once again the most compelling career, maybe a Major League Baseball history three-time
18:22ALMVP winner something of the sort ridiculous for my trout
18:26They have moved him though to right field DRS to hopefully make him less injury prone
18:31From centerfield and have him there for the long haul. The Halos are an interesting team
18:36Not my hometown team, but a good joke by DRS nonetheless the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
18:43I will always say that for Artie Moreto my award also a guy on the comeback Spencer Strider
18:5022 to 1 to win NL Cy Young
18:52Of course the elbow injury last year that shelved him after just his second start
18:57But Donnie if you remember and you look around the Cy Young Award now, of course
19:00Paul Skeens is the very very short favorite
19:04It was Spencer Strider for Atlanta as the super short favorite a season ago before he got injured and he is on track
19:12Is Spriter to be back in Atlanta's rotation?
19:15Maybe in just a few weeks by the middle of April or late April
19:19I'll take a 22 to 1 price on Spencer Strider to a National League Cy Young Award
19:25Yeah
19:25Those make me nervous those type ones coming back from the injury because it's not so much because it really is an award that's based
19:30On how many innings how many strikeouts and obviously, you know what your era technically would be
19:35So for me if he's coming back and he pitches five innings, but he's going five innings two hits one earned run
19:40That's a really good era and then maybe stretching him out over the summer
19:44But then again, that's why Spencer Strider's not sitting there to plus 250 price or plus 350 price because you are benefiting or not benefiting
19:51I should say from getting that start of the season where hey, he's five and oh with two complete games and a million strikeouts
19:57They'll ease him back into the rotation, but things are gonna help him the extracurriculars
20:00We expect the Braves to be really good this season
20:02He's gonna be a big part of that rotation pitching in big ball games in August and September where we saw Paul Skeens
20:07Enter in the equation midway through the season and almost when the Cy Young so something like that can help you out at a much
20:13better price point and
20:14There are going to be some good prices out there in the NL Cy Young market because Skeens is such a favorite at
20:20Two to one by the way Buster Posey of the San Francisco Giants won NL MVP and comeback player of the year in the same
20:27season in
20:282012 so not a bad bet you go on Mike Trout home run leader DRS who hits the most dinners in
20:352025 around the bigs
20:36There's a lot of good options here, but here's what you want to pencil in. Where does the player play?
20:40How many of bats is he going to get will he be healthy for the season for me?
20:44It's Kyle Schwab or the Philadelphia Phillies at a 10 to 1 price
20:47There's a good chance that he hits 40 plus home runs which puts you right into the mix here
20:51It's a guy in a ballpark that heats up in the summer that can get hot
20:55Let me happen here for the Philadelphia Phillies. I went Schwab at 10 to 1
21:00DRS is he still the leadoff spot for up Thompson in the field? I think he is back. Yep
21:05Okay, I believe he's gonna start there. No, I don't like that. No, you don't for the bet. It's great for me as a
21:13Yeah, three run home runs are much better than solo home runs to start. I'm just gonna say that Phillies. I'll leave that there
21:18We'll continue to pick six round it out and then look at the games on opening day all of that next
21:24Let's tidy up this 2025 MLB campaign pick six
21:28We've got two more spots to look home run leader. Donnie go with plenty of shore bombs this year in Philadelphia
21:35Kyle Schwaber 10 to 1 price third best number around the bigs and Donnie much like in the MVP
21:41markets or even those World Series numbers because of the Dodgers when you have such short favorites as Aaron judge plus
21:47270 who led of course the major leagues last year in home runs and show hey Oh Tony you can find some value
21:55I'm trusting in our home run prop King who will join us in just a little bit
21:59That's TV Tom Vecchio in terms of what he said now nearly a month ago Vladimir Guerrero jr
22:0540 to 1 price in a career year to lead Major League Baseball in homers
22:10Flatty jr. Now a 31 to 1 number contract year for the Blue Jays
22:15And of course Vladdy trying to put on a statement for what they will see and Donnie part of the benefit
22:22They'll play 13 games this year against the Rays in the minor league ballpark there in the Sunshine State
22:28So I like Vladimir Guerrero jr. At a 31 to 1 number, but I did have the advice of Tom Vecchio
22:34So Bennett when it was 40 to 1
22:37Yeah, it's a good look here too because Anthony Santander comes over from the Baltimore Orioles, which is you know
22:42Let's get 44 home runs
22:44So what that means is some protection for Vladdy where you can't just walk him to get to Santander
22:49You got a pitch to Vladdy so that should help him out there and again
22:51You're talking we talked about this before Boston small ballpark, New York small ballpark, Toronto small ballpark
22:56No longer Tropicana Field small ballpark with the same dimensions of Yankee Stadium played outdoors in the heat and humidity in Tampa down there
23:04It's a great look for the division because sometimes it's not how many home runs you can hit
23:07It's where you hit those home runs and those are great ballparks to do it in
23:11Yeah, absolutely. So DRS, let's tidy out this pick six by talking about Paul Skeens
23:17Who was on the bump today for the Pittsburgh Pirates Skeens day 24 officially will it happen today?
23:24Might it happen throughout a full
23:272025 campaign for Skeens will Paul Skeens throw a no-hitter. Yes or no, Donny right side
23:35By the way, I voted no just to be contrarian
23:38But is there a price point on this at this point because they'll find it looking for myself. Yeah
23:43You're hard to come by they say even how great a pitcher you are
23:46You see some of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball history don't have no hitters
23:49But it does seem like if there's a perfect match for a no-hitter
23:51It would be Paul Skeens pitching in a pitchers ballpark in Pittsburgh when he's full throttle sometime this summer
23:57I just went no to be contrarian to say, you know what?
24:00It's still hard to do and I'm gonna say when most people say yes
24:03I'll say no considering I probably would have a plus money price on a no-hitter to the no, which is crazy
24:08Which is crazy. Yes, I was gonna say the same thing if there was an actual wager
24:12It would probably be yes in minus money. Would it be minus 500? No, might it be minus?
24:18128 or something higher than that. Yeah, absolutely
24:21So I did say yes, and the reason I said yes is one. I like to buy into the narrative, too
24:27I think Paul Skeens is super super good and three last year
24:31He had two starts of six innings at least where he did not allow a single hit to the opposition
24:37And of course, they were trying to groove Paul Skeens to get ready for his Major League Baseball season and career
24:43I think this year if he's got six innings of work and he hasn't allowed a base knock just yet
24:48They would let him go the entirety of the way for the Buccos who are in action today DRS part of the marquee games
24:56We will see around Major League Baseball a great pitching matchup expected in South, Florida
25:02Skeens gets the opening day start for Pittsburgh, of course on the road again
25:07Sandy Alcantara and his return for the Miami Marlins the
25:122023 and El Sayoung winner or
25:152022 at least a sayoung winner at some point for Alcantara he and the fish take on Paul Skeens of the Buccos today
25:23Yeah, it should be a fun one to watch and I do like the like if you look at it first five innings
25:27I believe earlier today the
25:28FanDuel sportsbook had it listed like three and a half with a little bit of juice there
25:31I don't know if we get four runs over the first five innings because I do think Skeens
25:35Look at the lineup here for the Marlins by the way
25:37And God love you Marlins if there's any one or two fans of you guys left out there Zedra Edwards Dane Myers
25:44Griffin Conine Jonah bride Matt Mervis Otto Lopez Kyle Stowers Nick Fortes and Derek Hill
25:51That's your starting front nine prior starting nine today for the Marlins. I
25:56I
25:57Mean contraction baseball. Hello at this point. I don't know where they're going
26:00But I don't think through the score memory runs today, but those two pitches on the mound. They should deal in that ballpark
26:062022 and El Sayoung Sandy did not pitch last year for Miami and can we get a final
26:12Clarification from our own Craig Mish. I know he's talking right now
26:16I think he is still talking getting ready for his show with his news wire producer Frank. Is it all contra?
26:23Is it all contra? Can we make sure that we get a final confirmation on that pronunciation?
26:30So, there you go, it's not all conterra it's not all
26:33As somebody once tried to say the IRS we get ready for the rest of MLB on this opening day
26:40Our very first game of the day
26:43306 p.m. Eastern Time not in warm weather, but not in terribly cold weather
26:48They're supposed to warm up throughout the day here in the greater, New York City area
26:52That is up in the Bronx inside Yankee Stadium
26:56Carlos Rodon gets the start for the Yankees because of Garrett Cole being on the shelf the entirety of the year
27:04Against the Milwaukee Brewers and Freddy Peralta the Yanks a minus 146 favorite at home DRS
27:10What is your outlook for the pinstripes without Garrett Cole the entirety of this regular season and beyond?
27:16Solid ball club
27:17But not for me where it's one thing to be the favorite in the AL to win the pennant and a chance legitimate chance for
27:23A World Series, it's another be at their price point where they sit because I look at their starting nine and say
27:29Well, we love Aaron judge and I think Bellinger can have a rebirth there with that short right field porch
27:33Which by the way is blowing out the right field today
27:35Maybe we get some extra home runs there in a total that's only listed at seven and a half
27:39But I look at the rest of that lineup very underwhelming starting pitching staff very underwhelming
27:44I don't know if it's just the Yankee taxes of the favorite but to the same talking points been that we have in the American
27:49League it's not a very strong
27:51American League top to bottom where a lot of teams are gonna be able to chase down teams like the New York Yankees
27:56So for me, I don't have high optimism to be honest on the New York Yankees
28:00Don't need to be completely honest with you as well
28:03I'm not entirely sure why they are still booked as the American League pennant favorites
28:07There's a lot of talent on this team. But when you lose your bona fide ace in Garrett Cole
28:12I really think that should make a move against you and what other moves did the Yankees make this offseason?
28:20They added Cody Bellinger, right?
28:22They missed out on Juan Soto and that was basically it now
28:26They do have a bona fide ace in the American League rookie of the year and our guy Luis
28:31Don't you dare call him heel for the Yanks and he'll have to step up this year, but I
28:37Don't know already on the I am good
28:39Is he yes?
28:42Yeah, I mean, that's what I mean
28:45Yeah, look at that b-double-s. Come on now. Where's that right? Yeah, let's talk some real baseball. What's going on here?
28:51You get a segment off to start our third hour
28:54Let's get the pro baseball today hosts doing it back and forth the RS other marquee matchups on this opening day a really good one
29:02Between two AL pennant frontrunners the Rangers and the Red Sox maybe your two AL teams squaring off today in Arlington big
29:10Acquisition for Boston this offseason leaving the lowly Chicago White Sox, that's Garrett crochet
29:16He is now the ace for the Red Sox, but they've got a lot of great young starting pitchers
29:21They've got Tanner how as well cutter Crawford was great to start last year and they do add Walker Bueller if he can get back
29:28Healthy, it's a great matchup today between Texas and Boston
29:32It is it's really fun
29:33And again, the tough part about it is as you look at both of those lines, which I told you
29:36I really like look at the total in the game seven and a half
29:39But that's opening day aces versus aces across the board. The highest total the board
29:44I believe is I want to say eight and a half, which is in the Chicago, Arizona game
29:48Everything else seven and a half six and a half across the board and rightfully
29:52So colder temperatures bats usually lag a little bit behind some of the starting pitchers
29:55But then having said that who knows what the bullpens are actually going to provide today
29:59But the one thing you have to like about the bullpens, they're all fresh to start the season
30:02So scoring might be at a premium today for sure
30:05And that's what some of these numbers are letting us know
30:07But you give me a normal Boston, Texas game where the twos the threes and the fours are pitching
30:11Oh, we're gonna have some fun this summer. No doubt about
30:14One Soto makes his Mets debut today on the road in Houston from Rivaldez gets the start for the Astros Houston
30:21a slight home favorite really good one between National League contenders, Atlanta and
30:26San Diego out in Southern California today
30:29We've talked about the Tigers and the Dodgers
30:31What a pitching duel between lefties that we have Blake Snell makes his Dodger debut against the reigning AL Cy Young winner in
30:38Tarek school ball in LA still a minus 168 favorite
30:42Let's get you set for opening day and the MLB season for TV top next
30:47Opening day of the 2025 Major League Baseball season why I'm even here for these next two segments the route out
30:54This second hour is beyond me when you've got the two hosts of pro baseball today to get you set for opening day
31:01And MLB, what am I needed for that's Donnie, right?
31:04So I'm of course the man in the middle
31:06TV Tom Vecchio some season-long props and that prop perspective to make sense of Major League Baseball
31:12Entering the 2025 campaign and of course some bets from the very start on this full opening day around the bigs
31:20Becky oh, we are very glad to have you here. We appreciate the time as always
31:24Yeah, let's get right to it. You know, we have two segments today to go through things
31:28You know sweet 16 layers today. I'm not sure if we're gonna be touching on that ball
31:31Let's get the ball rolling or throwing or whatever. We're gonna have opening day
31:36Let's start with the throwing vacuum as we look around Major League Baseball
31:40It's a great time to bet dependent prices the World Series odds
31:45Division numbers win total so on and so forth, but from that prop perspective
31:49You can also look season-long home runs
31:52Of course come to mind but so many different other angles and so many opportunities to bet on the FanDuel sports book
31:58Let's start on the bump Vecchio
32:00If you were to highlight a pitcher you expect to be filling up the case sheet all year long. Where do you look?
32:07What's the name? Yeah, let's go to the Guardians opening day starter and that's Tanner Bybee
32:13It's not Spencer. Excuse me. Spencer's not Shane Bieber Bieber's on the IL to start the year
32:18But by be over hundred sixty two and a half strikeouts for the season, you know throughout spring trainings
32:24He has like a 22 23 percent strikeout rate
32:26Which is a little bit lower than what he showed last year at 25 26 percent
32:30I expect that to you know improve as the year goes on
32:32I think the innings will be there for him, but what I love most about him are two specific things one
32:37He is incredibly efficient on the mound
32:39He's not giving up a ton of walks and then his heart contact rate last year was 29 percent. That is so incredibly low
32:45So he's not getting hit hard and he's not wasting chances on the mound
32:49Which means the inning should be there for him
32:50You can allow him to go that extra half inning inning whatever might be because he's you know
32:55Not wasting pitches and then the strikeouts will be there. He is a good strikeout pitcher
32:58He's not some flamethrower this kind of a 30% strikeout rate
33:01But a 26% strikeout rate will get him there if he has 180 some odd inning
33:06So I really like by they're really like what the Guardians have between him and Gavin Williams this year
33:11Talked about the Oakland Athletics
33:14Sacramento Athletics soon to be the Las Vegas Athletics here
33:17Which I'm taking a look here at my team totals and saying to myself, you know what?
33:21I think this team might be able to lose 90 games and still cash a ticket to their over which is pretty incredible Major League
33:26Baseball, but Tom, I know you're looking at bombs for the Athletics who we including there who's gonna pay you
33:32Let's go to Lawrence Lawrence Butler one of their young prospects last year. He had 22 home runs in 125 games
33:39He had a 228 iso last season, which is absolutely fantastic
33:43We remember last year. They played in Oakland
33:45Different ball. Yep. We're playing this season. So a full season this year
33:50You know the ISO may regress a little bit, but you have a much better ballpark
33:53So I said this to Donnie on pro baseball today, you know when we're talking about season long stuff
33:58I believe in Butler as a prospect and I if I believe he's gonna go over the summer 23 and a half home runs
34:03I don't think we're gonna be like sweating this out for the last week of the season
34:07Like I think he will be there in September and by next year
34:10This number is gonna be up at 28 or 29 and a half home run
34:13So if I believe him as a prospect, I believe in his underlying metrics
34:16I believe in all these things plus the improvement of ballpark factor
34:18I want to essentially be a year early ahead of the curve because if this number is gonna be 20 and a half next year
34:22He may not hit 20 and a half next year
34:24He just may be that 25 to 30 type home run type guy
34:27But we can get the number 23 and a half right now, and that's where I want to jump
34:31Seven year
34:3365 and a half million dollar deal for a Larry Butler to remain the face of the athletics as they make that
34:40transition over the next three years
34:42To Las Vegas some investment this offseason by the A's in Lawrence
34:47Larry as we'll call them here Larry Butler expected to have a big season over
34:5223 and a half Donnie over 71 and a half wins for the athletics as well
34:59Those are very much correlated for a talented athletics team
35:03Not something we have said quite often about the A's
35:06Thank you. As you look at another talented young player now, we move over to the other side in the NL
35:12That is Jackson Merrill after a sensational rookie campaign with San Diego
35:17What do you expect Merrill to do here in 2025? I
35:21Expect Merrill to be in the top five of the league when it comes to total hits when it's all said and done you get this
35:26Number 19 to 1 again. We talked about this extensively on pro baseball today
35:30The line for the Padres is awesome. If they weren't playing in the NL West
35:35They could be a favorite to win basically any other division. Obviously the Dodgers throws a wrench in that in things, but he's awesome
35:41He doesn't strike out a whole lot. He puts the ball in play the lineup behind him or around him is awesome
35:46so he will always see good pitches and again when we look at the projections form if you look on fangraft some of the
35:51Projections will have him at
35:53fifth sixth seventh again
35:55If you apply a little bit of variance that they could push him into the top three or four and if we're at the top
35:59Three or four that's a 19 to 1 number doesn't indicate that he's gonna be a top three hitter in the league
36:04So we get this number preseason and he's gonna be there at the end when it's all said and done
36:08We talked about this last year with Bobby Witt. We came through our 19 to 1 two years of two years ago
36:13We came through with Matt Olsen 20 to 1 to lead the league at homers and Jackson Merrill is a player that I believe in
36:18We'll have a great strikeout rate super low. He will put the ball in play
36:21He's not gonna be a massive power hitter, but the lineup around him will always put him in a good spot to pick up hits
36:26So they're putting themselves in a good spot to New York Yankees coming out of spring training quite banged up here
36:31But as you take a look at the odds at the fan those sportsbook not holding back four to one price the best in the American
36:36League the National League Tom on the opposite side pretty clear-cut probably with the Dodgers
36:40But talk to us about the American League. Is it the Yankees for you?
36:42Is there some other team that has your eye?
36:45It can't be the Yankees frankly
36:46I think that that price is there just to essentially discourage people from betting it because they're never gonna hang an 8 to 1 or
36:5210 to 1 number on the Yankees. It's also a bit of the Yankees tax
36:55I just don't think you should be betting that number
36:57I think you need to pick your team outside of them if you are super interested in the Orioles
37:01It's the Royals. It's the Tigers with their pitching staff
37:03I think Jackson Joe one of their young pitchers who made the roster the the Tigers have the pieces the Royals have the pieces
37:09I think that the Red Sox will take a step up this year as well. So I don't think it's the Yankees
37:12I think you have to pick your team. All the divisions are up for grabs. Like that's what it is this year
37:17Look, the Astros aren't the same team. They were I'm very interested in the Rangers this year
37:20I think you have to pick your team and have your stance early on and then maybe later in the season you can hedge out
37:24because I think the Royals the Tigers the Rangers and the
37:28The Royals Tigers Rangers Orioles are the four teams
37:31You should be most interested not like this is some dramatic octane
37:33Obviously the odds are suggesting that but you should stick with one of those teams
37:3830 seconds left back. You know, you're back for an opening day breakdown on the other side World Series prediction from TV
37:44Tom Vecchio is what oh
37:46I I would say Dodgers Rangers. I would like to say boys range. There's gonna be a lot of fun
37:53Let's just not get the Dodgers in here. Let's have someone else
37:56All right, pro baseball today on very similar wavelengths here range
38:01You love to see that chemistry that early on from pillows opening day breakdown with TV Tom next
38:06Let's get you ready for opening day with TV Tom Vecchio that prop perspective to begin the long ones
38:1362 in major league baseball Vecchio so many great games on this slate
38:1928 of our 30 MLB clubs in action 14 of what would be a 15 game fully robust slate as
38:26Well, let's highlight some of those games and how we should approach both you and Donnie seem rather optimistic about the Texas Rangers
38:34and I know DRS is rather optimistic about the Boston Red Sox as well plus
38:39750 price for the Red Sox to win the AL pennant the Rangers only a half dollar behind at 8 to 1 they face off
38:46Today in Arlington the Red Sox with Garrett crochet on the bump and ever so slight favorite against Nathan of Aldi on the other
38:53Side Vecchio, what is your approach that really good opening day matchup between the Red Sox and the Rangers?
38:59I think we're gonna see some runs seven and a half line
39:02I think it's fine a little bit juice to the over at minus 120
39:05I think we should be interested in both of these teams throughout the majority of the season
39:08Especially given the Rangers offense and the improvements that the Red Sox made in their pitching staff
39:14Let's actually talk about the Rangers pitching staff with Nathan E of Aldi
39:17He looks pretty bad in spring and you know
39:20If we actually like which I did go literally start by start in spring training and look at some of the eggs of loss that he
39:26He loved over 10 balls with 99 mile-per-hour eggs of lossy many of them on about 102 103
39:33He did not look good
39:34He's not a massive strikeout pitcher as he once was and I like what we saw from Alex Bregman in spring training
39:40So let's turn to Alex Bregman to hit a home run to start off the season
39:43Alex Bregman's ISO in spring training was
39:46326 which is absolutely insane. Is that gonna be sustainable?
39:50No, is he evolving to give up all of these eggs of lossy balls?
39:53No, of course not all these things will even out as the year goes on but I like that Bregman's at least familiar with the
39:59Park he actually played there many times when he's with the Astros and we have a pitcher who's at least struggling right now and
40:04Britain's at least potentially starting off the year super strong
40:07So when we have Bregman at plus 470 for a home run, I will start off with some offense in this game
40:12LA opening day the Angels on the road to take on the real low White Sox at this point
40:18Kikuchi versus Burke a seven-and-a-half total cooler temperatures in Chicago wind blowing in and he looks between two of these pitchers
40:25I think Sean Burke again. I like to joke this the previous goalie for the New Jersey Devils back in the 1980s
40:31I don't know who these players are. Good luck White Sox this year
40:34Yeah, good luck to the White Sox, but actually let's take Kikuchi under six and a half strikeouts
40:39It was thing of minus 122 this morning. I saw it minus 138 that juice is moving a little bit
40:44Here's the thing. Kikuchi is an okay pitcher right last year
40:47We saw him like a 28 cent striker right especially after once the Astros and spring training saw a striker right up at 29%
40:52That's not the pitcher. He was his career striker rate is like 24 25. So he's exceeding that he's an okay pitcher
40:57He also still struggles with walks. He lets he wastes pitches
41:01He was waiting and batters on for free and I'm not saying the White Sox or some like team
41:05We need to be worried about obviously the White Sox are terrible
41:07But it's the first start of the year six naps a bit too high if it was five and a half even like minus 140
41:13We could talk ourselves into over five and a half or a good strikeout pitcher against the horrible lineup
41:17It's half is just way too high
41:20When you look at you say Kikuchi and the Angels being a minus
41:24158 favorite on the south side of Chicago. It is going to represent the White Sox this year
41:29Have you guys seen they are a minus 210 favorite minus?
41:34210 favorite to have the worst record in MLB this season the win total for the Sox is
41:4054 and a half as some have already joked on opening day
41:44The Chicago White Sox have been eliminated from playoff contention a couple of games later in the evening
41:51Hours here on the East Coast and even out in the West Coast just two
41:56That will have their first pitch around 7 p.m. Local time in Seattle the Mariners host the Athletics in
42:03Arizona, it's the D backs taken on the Cubs
42:06Let's focus on that game back to you in the Pacific Northwest a divisional duel between the M's and the A's
42:13How do you see it playing out?
42:15Yeah, let's start off with Cal Raleigh for two plus total bases at plus 125
42:19He just signed the contract extension a couple days ago. We get a good plus number
42:24He's going up against Luis Severino
42:26Seve in spring training was bad last year a lot of 440 slugging to lefties at 1.61 home runs per nine Cal Raleigh
42:33Great. I so in the spring he's batting under 200
42:35He also strikes out a lot
42:36That is what Cal Raleigh is whether you'll get the spring training last year year before he has a ton of power
42:42He wastes chances at the plate, but we're getting a solid plus, you know
42:45Plus money price on a player who just signed contracts and I'm buying a little bit into the narrative and Severino plus the Athletics
42:50Bullpen is not good. Will they be better than they were last year?
42:53Yes, you know Donnie and I agree that the athletics are going to be a fun team this year
42:57Not gonna be good, but they'll be fun, but I'll take the Mariners at home
43:00I'll rally two plus total bases plus 125. Do we know what Cal Raleigh's nickname is?
43:04I mean, I'm not gonna say it on air, but yeah
43:11Yeah, that's what it is, that's his nickname what I said anything wrong big
43:15I don't know the rules of what we're gonna say on a jumper
43:19Big don't like there you go back stop over there. Come on now. Let's go
43:25Thank you. We appreciate you our number three is up now