- 7/17/2025
Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00Welcome to our number two live right here on this Thursday morning on the early line on sports grid. He is Donnie Wright side. I am Ben Stevens. It is the final day of the Major League Baseball All-Star break. So one last chance to really reset here at the break as we enter the second half of the season. Second half for sure. Post All-Star break. Great stretch run the prolonged one at that. Absolutely. But not exactly the midway point.
00:26All 30 clubs have played at least 95 of their 162 regular season games. But we reset where everything stands. We have gone division by division. We'll talk some World Series odds a little bit later on. Yesterday, DRS, the award races in the American League. Today, that same topic of conversation in the National League. Later on in this hour, we'll check in with some more football news and notes, including day number three of the four-day extravaganza in Atlanta, known as SEC.
00:56The media days. Needs to be a bounce back year in T-Town. The second year for Kalen DeBoer at the helm in Tuscaloosa. We'll hear from DeBoer. Nick Saban's rumored return to coaching. Uh-oh. And DeBoer needing to bring Alabama back to a college football playoff. The Tide favored to do just that this year. Plenty to get to here, DRS, at hour number two.
01:18All right. Another hour down, people. Just a few short days ago, Ben. On Monday, we're like saying, like, there's no way. There's no way I can do this. You're doing push-ups. You're doing sit-ups. You're running around the house. Like, it's like, no, no. I can't make it through.
01:31You're doing Tuesday. The day wakes daybreak. It's like, we're going to do another show. And Wednesday, we're going to do another show. And Thursday, where you can see that horizon.
01:39And on that horizon, that pot of gold, Ben, that is the NFL and the college football season, you can see it there. And baseball gets back into our lives tomorrow.
01:47We can handicap baseball games. We can watch it play out throughout the day. And then before you know it, next week, as Ben pointed out, everybody's in training camp.
01:54And you get those extra little tidbits. Who's performing well? Who's with the second team? Who's with the first team? All of that fun begins and then culminates at the end of the month with an actual game on your television screen.
02:06And away we go into the month of August. Get in your family time. Get in your vacation time. Because once football season hits, nobody's taking a single day off, which means Ben Stevens, Kevin Walsh, anybody else on this network. Nobody.
02:20Nobody. I would never even dream of it. DRS live action as we speak at the open in Northern Ireland at Royal Portrush.
02:30Jacob Skov, Oleson, and Haotong Lee still remain those co-front runners and our leaders right now at four under par.
02:38Both Lee and Oleson in the clubhouse. They're opening round. They're opening 18 holes are done.
02:43Matt Fitzpatrick continues to plot along. He is three under through 14.
02:47A couple of the Englishmen having some good looks over there in Northern Ireland.
02:53Matthew Jordan, three under. He is playing his final hole.
02:57How about the veteran Lee Westwood, who had to qualify for the Open Championship?
03:02He posts a two under 69.
03:05A couple of other very familiar names for a very long time.
03:08Sergio Garcia, two under through six.
03:11Out the gates and doing well to start.
03:14Philly McMahon. Phil Mickelson, one under par 70 in his opening round at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland at the Open Championship.
03:24Yeah, look, I like it. I want the old timers out there like with Tom Watson, maybe trying to knock down one.
03:29Where is he at? Bring him back into the race at this point.
03:31Maybe Tiger can get out there. Tiger could have competed in this one, even with like limping around.
03:36All you got to do, Ben, is hit that low sting around that golf course with a nice little chip and putt.
03:40You can hang in the business at this point.
03:42I just want to see that leaderboard chock full of superstars by the time we get to the weekend and moving day.
03:48That's what I want to see.
03:50The RS, maybe Eldrick one day stalking the course once again.
03:55Lynx golf is relatively flat despite the contours and the undulations, of course,
04:00and those weird bounces across the pond. We'll see when and if Tiger Woods is able to return.
04:07Scotty Scheffler with the best run that we have seen in the post-Tiger era.
04:11He is still one under par and still your tournament favorite at plus 350.
04:15That very short price, even a dollar down from where it was before this tournament got underway.
04:20And how about the native of Northern Ireland?
04:23Not all that far away from Royal Portrush.
04:26Roy McIlroy still has that second best price of plus 700.
04:29McIlroy tees off in about an hour.
04:32Keith Stewart will join us in hour number three to break down all the opening round action.
04:37We are seeing at the 153rd playing of golf's oldest major, the Open Championship in Northern Ireland.
04:46All right.
04:46Futures focus reset on our final day of the Major League Baseball All-Star break.
04:51Yesterday, we looked at the American League odds for those award races.
04:55Today, the same study in the National League and DRS.
04:58Much like the AL MVP market, the NL MVP market features a strong, strong favorite.
05:05Shohei Ohtani, even a better price now than that of Aaron Judge.
05:09Minus 800 for Ohtani to win his second consecutive NL MVP award.
05:15Pete Crow Armstrong, a historic season for Chicago.
05:19Seven to one number.
05:20And Juan Soto, pretty good entering the All-Star break in his debut campaign with the New York Mets.
05:25Had the second best price on opening day behind Ohtani at plus 550.
05:31Now a 17 to one number on Soto.
05:33Is he really in the race?
05:35Is PCA even really in the race?
05:38What say you, DRS?
05:40None of them are in the race.
05:41Minus 800 again.
05:42You're going to look at that at the end of the season and say,
05:43I should have taken that even though not very many people will take $800 to win $100 and sit it there for the next five to six months or whenever the MVP is going to get announced.
05:53But it's cheating.
05:54Shohei Ohtani can do something that nobody else in Major League Baseball can do.
05:58That means being maybe one of, if not the top five, best hitters in baseball and then go on the mound and throw some gems out here.
06:04Like he's through nine innings so far in his season, which isn't a lot.
06:08But that ERA is at one.
06:09Are we saying that once he gets the five and six innings, that ERA is going to stay at one?
06:12No, it isn't.
06:13But if it does, my goodness.
06:14I mean, just hand him the Cy Young on top of it as well.
06:16It's cheating and also, you know, the topics that are going to come up to us or say, you know, what happens in the future with Shohei Ohtani?
06:22Because to me, if I'm a voter, is he hitting 35 plus home runs?
06:27Okay.
06:27Is he just, you know, the average starting pitcher?
06:29Oh, he's the MVP.
06:30Nobody else can come close unless you hit 75 home runs and break Barry Bond's record.
06:35I don't even consider you for that award.
06:37That's how special of an athlete Shohei Ohtani is, man.
06:40Yeah, and DRS, it is a really interesting story that we'll get to in just a second about Shohei Ohtani and the future beyond this year.
06:50Again, Ohtani has won two MVP awards in the last two seasons in two different leagues.
06:56He has two AL MVP awards in his career.
06:59He won the National League MVP in his very first season with the Dodgers, and he did not even pitch,
07:06which makes the conversation around a guy that has had five outings this year,
07:09nine total innings, as DRS has said, but he hasn't gotten roughed up.
07:14He's allowed five total base knocks in nine innings and only a single earned run.
07:18That was in his very first start of the season, returning from that elbow injury.
07:24He also has 10 Ks in DRS.
07:26The Ks are on the way up in the two innings that he worked in July.
07:29In three innings, it is most recent start in the final week.
07:33In the final weekend, ahead of the All-Star break against the Giants, snapping that seven-game slide for LA.
07:38I think the question that our producer, Joe Friso, poises is not so much,
07:43will Shohei Ohtani win the award this year?
07:45Yeah, he's minus 800, despite what Pete Crow Armstrong is doing for Chicago.
07:51The question better be asked, will Shohei Ohtani ever not win an MVP award again
07:57if he is going to be on the bump, as you just alluded to?
08:00Yes, because people get voter fatigue.
08:02I'm like, oh, he has to have a better season than he did last year.
08:05Or like, you know, you average a triple-double in the NBA.
08:07I need a quadruple-double every single game.
08:09But wait, he has the same exact statistics he did last year and won the MVP.
08:13Yeah, but it's some other guy's turn.
08:14And almost so, you're going to hear this.
08:16It's not fair that we have to judge him on pitching.
08:18We should remove that because he should get judged as a Cy Young,
08:21and you separate it just to hitting.
08:23That's not what we do in baseball.
08:24If Shohei Ohtani, again, hits 50 home runs a year and pitches,
08:29nobody should even be, he should be minus 2 million right now
08:32to win the award in the NL.
08:34And he is well on his way to a third straight year of 50-plus long balls.
08:38He's got 32.
08:40He is the NL home run leader.
08:42More MVP and odds conversations next.
08:45So as we look at the MVP odds one final time,
08:49Shohei Ohtani to win the National League MVP for a second straight year,
08:53minus 800.
08:54He has made five starts on the bump, nine innings of work,
08:58only allowing a single earned run.
09:00That will continue to pick up here post-All-Star break.
09:0432 homers leading the National League right now,
09:07trailing big dumper Cal Raleigh by six,
09:10Aaron Judge by three, and 60 RBIs.
09:13DRS, is there anything, and I mean anything,
09:16that Pete Crow Armstrong can do following the All-Star break
09:20to make it even look slightly competitive in the National League
09:24and not see Ohtani's number continue to balloon
09:26throughout the remainder of this summer?
09:29Shohei Ohtani breaking his leg
09:31and then Pete Crow Armstrong hitting 75 home runs.
09:34That's the exact answer on what Pete Crow Armstrong can do.
09:37Great baseball player,
09:38but nobody is going to be a starting pitcher
09:41and one of the best hitters in baseball.
09:42You can't match up with that.
09:44I don't care how much people,
09:45what a fun story it is here or there.
09:47Don't get voters fatigue.
09:49If Shohei Ohtani does this average performance
09:51that he's putting on right now for himself
09:53for the next five years,
09:55he should win it every single year
09:56and it shouldn't even be a talking point.
09:59Like to say, hey, what's anybody have to do?
10:01What do they have to do?
10:01Hey, Pete Crow Armstrong, close 50 games next year.
10:04Be the best closer in baseball
10:05along with one of the best hitters.
10:07That's what Pete Crow Armstrong,
10:08Juan Soto, get a fastball together,
10:10learn a knuckleball,
10:11start 35 games for the Mets next year.
10:13Then you might be in the conversation,
10:15but they're not going to do that.
10:16Like Shohei Ohtani every fifth day
10:18giving you five to six innings
10:19of quality pitching and 50 bombs.
10:22Come on now.
10:23Like I don't, I'm not a Dodgers fan.
10:25I'm a Phillies fan.
10:26I love to hate on some of the best superstars
10:28on the planet, but when facts are facts,
10:30he's far and away the single best baseball player
10:33in Major League Baseball by a wide margin
10:35because he does something nobody else
10:37in the sport can do.
10:39And it's not a novelty act like,
10:41hey, he can give us an inning here or there.
10:42He is a legitimate number one
10:44or number two on your staff
10:46and the best player in baseball
10:48at his position,
10:49which is raking at the plate.
10:50Ah, come on, man.
10:51Stop.
10:53So Shohei Ohtani has won three MVP awards
10:56in the last four years.
10:57Last year in the NL,
10:58the two previous hardwares
11:00coming in the American League.
11:02As our producer, Joe Frizzo,
11:03pointed out in 2022,
11:05it was the only year of the last four
11:07that Ohtani did not win the MVP award.
11:10Why?
11:11Aaron Judge made history
11:12hitting 62 home runs,
11:14an American League record that still stands.
11:17PCA is trying.
11:18He's got the best war in baseball,
11:20wins above replacement.
11:21He is the only guy
11:22in Major League Baseball history,
11:24and it's a very long history
11:26with 25 home runs,
11:2825 stolen bases,
11:29and at least 70 RBIs
11:31ahead of the All-Star break.
11:33And yet, you see that plus 700 number.
11:36You might hate it,
11:37but it is the reality.
11:39A more competitive race, DRS,
11:41might be that NL Cy Young conversation,
11:44one that we have highlighted
11:45the last few weeks
11:46entering the All-Star break
11:47when Paul Skeens,
11:49despite the lack of success
11:50in his overall win-loss record
11:52and the lack of success
11:54of the Pittsburgh Pirates,
11:55remained the favorite
11:56and an odds-on favorite
11:57to win NL Cy Young.
11:59We saw Zach Wheeler
12:00continuing to deal
12:02gem after gem
12:03in terms of his outings
12:05in his Philadelphia Phillies,
12:07remain in first
12:08in the NL East.
12:09The price continued
12:10to drop on Wheeler.
12:12We asked,
12:13when might Wheeler
12:13become the favorite?
12:14Is this your time
12:15to buy in?
12:16We hope you did.
12:17Wheeler is the favorite
12:19to win the National League
12:20Cy Young award
12:20at minus 125,
12:22but Skeens
12:23not all that far behind now,
12:24DRS.
12:25Also,
12:26a slightly minus money number
12:27at minus 105.
12:30How do you evaluate
12:31the head-to-head
12:32between Wheeler
12:32and Skeens
12:33to win NL Cy Young?
12:35And maybe even
12:36the sentimental value
12:37because, again,
12:37humans are voting
12:38for this award.
12:39It's not a computer
12:40that's fed in statistics
12:41and spits out
12:42who the MVP is.
12:43The reason I say that is
12:44Zach Wheeler
12:44is one of the good guys
12:45in baseball
12:46and he's a great
12:46baseball player.
12:47Zach Wheeler
12:48said multiple times,
12:49I want to win a championship
12:50and I also want to win
12:51a Cy Young.
12:52But then has also said,
12:53I'm not even looking
12:54for a next contract.
12:55Like, in two years,
12:55it doesn't even matter
12:56how well I'm pitching.
12:57Like, I'm done
12:57and I'm out of the sport.
12:59So maybe people look at this
13:00and say,
13:00well, if it's one-on-one
13:01with Paul Skeens,
13:02Skeens has 15 more years
13:04to pitch.
13:04Wheeler's got one or two
13:05left to pitch here.
13:06Let's go ahead
13:07and give them that nod
13:07as truly being
13:08one of the best baseball pitchers
13:09or pitchers in baseball
13:10there are.
13:11And also,
13:11you're not just giving it away.
13:13Like, Wheeler's
13:13every bit as good
13:14as Skeens right now.
13:15But the questions
13:15are going to pop up here
13:16as well
13:17because we are handicappers
13:18and voters see
13:19the same things.
13:20A lot of the times, Ben,
13:21it's straight up
13:22on statistics.
13:23How many strikeouts
13:24and wins
13:25really aren't reflective,
13:26but they sort of add
13:27to the conversation.
13:28ERA,
13:28wins above replace,
13:29we get all of that stuff right
13:31no matter what
13:31that you take a look at
13:32from a pitcher
13:32to a hitter's perspective.
13:34But understand this.
13:35We don't have to question
13:36if Zach Wheeler
13:37is going to get shut down
13:38over the final two weeks
13:39of the season
13:40as the Phillies ramp up
13:41for a playoff run.
13:42The Pittsburgh Pirates
13:43will say that Paul Skeens
13:44is going to go
13:44all the way through.
13:45Number one,
13:46because they're really selfish
13:46and if maybe they can get
13:47more people in the ballpark
13:48on a Wednesday night
13:49in late September,
13:50they'll pitch Paul Skeens
13:51at that point
13:52as opposed to saying,
13:53well, he only has so many bullets
13:54in his arm for his career.
13:55Why don't we just shut him down
13:56because our team
13:57absolutely stinks
13:58and it doesn't mean anything
13:59unless he gets the Cy Young
14:01and that's why we're
14:01letting him pitch,
14:02which is sort of interesting
14:03to say, well,
14:04we stink,
14:05we're not going to build
14:05around you,
14:06but go ahead, kid,
14:06blow out your arm
14:07trying to win a Cy Young award.
14:08It's sort of counterproductive
14:09at that point.
14:10So I do think that weighs in
14:11as well as why Zach Wheeler
14:13along with the straw poll
14:14from the, you know,
14:16I guess general managers
14:17or front office
14:17that said they'd give it
14:18to Zach Wheeler
14:18at this point,
14:19but that all goes into
14:20my thinking of why
14:21Wheeler is a favorite today
14:23and not just everything
14:24that has to deal with
14:25strikeouts, wins,
14:26and let's just say war.
14:27Smart DRS
14:29and that's when it flipped
14:30on the Monday ahead
14:31of the all-star break
14:33and it will,
14:34I believe,
14:35continue to go
14:36in the favor of Zach Wheeler
14:38assuming both continuing
14:40to pitch
14:40on the level of dominance
14:42they have displayed
14:42this year
14:44as we get deeper
14:45into August, September
14:46and of course early October
14:48that narrative of Paul Skeens
14:50being the superstar
14:51will fade
14:51as the Pirates
14:53are playing their offseason
14:54and Zach Wheeler
14:55is the ace for a team
14:56hoping to contend
14:57for a National League pennant.
14:59Let's not mistake,
15:00the narrative
15:00and the stardom
15:01is there for Paul Skeens.
15:03He was a short favorite
15:04entering this year
15:05at 2-1.
15:06Wheeler had the second best price
15:07but four bucks back
15:09at plus 600.
15:11Paul Skeens has delivered.
15:12That 201 ERA
15:13is the best in baseball.
15:16He is just 4-8.
15:17He has heard a lot of jokes
15:18DRS around the National League
15:20plating two runs
15:22when Paul Skeens
15:22was in line
15:23to pick up the win
15:24on Tuesday night
15:26in the All-Star game.
15:28His last four starts
15:29for the Pirates
15:30the Buccos have given him
15:31two or two
15:33yeah I believe
15:33two total runs
15:34of run support.
15:35Let me check that real quick.
15:36Yes, three total runs
15:38of run support
15:39in those four outings.
15:41That is why Skeens
15:42is 4-8
15:43despite what he has delivered
15:45on the bump.
15:47It's just the idea
15:47of individual success
15:49of being that bona fide ace
15:51leading to team success
15:53that I ultimately believe
15:54you could still bet
15:55Wheeler's price
15:56and he is going to win
15:57National League Cy Young
15:58this year.
16:00The other award races
16:01in the NL next.
16:03Let's go around
16:04the rest of the award markets
16:06on this final day
16:07of the Major League Baseball
16:08All-Star break
16:09with a focus on
16:10the National League.
16:11DRS it's no surprise
16:13that when you are
16:13an All-Star
16:14you are a rookie
16:15of the year favorite
16:16as well
16:17in your debut season
16:19in the bigs.
16:20That's the case
16:20for Big Miz
16:21Jacob Mizorowski
16:23who now kind of has
16:24this weird narrative
16:25around his name.
16:26It's not his fault.
16:27He didn't campaign
16:28for himself
16:28to get into the
16:29National League
16:30All-Star team
16:31and that squad
16:32to be in Atlanta
16:33this week.
16:34Major League Baseball
16:35said that he
16:37should be there.
16:38Big Miz has been great
16:39in the five starts
16:40that he has made
16:41this year.
16:42He's a minus 210
16:42favorite DRS
16:43to a National League
16:45Rookie of the Year.
16:46That feels fitting.
16:47That feels justified.
16:48His All-Star selection
16:49again we've already
16:50had that debate
16:51numerous times
16:52but Big Miz
16:53well on his way
16:54if he continues
16:55to pitch the way
16:55he did
16:56in his first five
16:57starts
16:57in the nine or ten
16:59that he'll make
17:00down the stretch
17:00of this second half.
17:02Yeah but that's
17:02not going to happen
17:03and we know
17:03that's not going to happen
17:04so if you're buying in
17:05on like basically
17:06his first five starts
17:06understand this
17:07teams are smart
17:08batters adjust
17:10there's a lot more
17:10video out
17:11what is it like
17:11to pitch
17:12second time around
17:13like you can be
17:14a power arm
17:15where you're not
17:15used to seeing
17:16that type of pitcher
17:16and say okay
17:17I struggle
17:18now am I saying
17:18that he's going
17:19to absolutely
17:19get blown up
17:20in his next five
17:21starts
17:21no I'm not
17:22but if we're
17:22just expecting
17:23like oh he had
17:23five starts
17:24he's the rookie
17:24of the year
17:25like there's other
17:25really Augusta
17:26Ramirez has been
17:27playing pretty good
17:27baseball for this
17:28season here
17:28for the Marlins
17:29you take a look
17:29at Drake Baldwin
17:30who's a very good
17:31young catcher
17:32and also understand
17:32this if you are
17:34looking at the
17:34Atlanta Braves
17:35who might give
17:36themselves a short
17:36window Ben right
17:37we're talking about
17:37under two weeks
17:38let's just say
17:39towards the trade
17:40deadline in Major League
17:41baseball give or
17:41take let's just
17:43say if the Braves
17:43are I don't want
17:44to say sellers
17:44on the market
17:45but not adding
17:46to their team
17:46maybe hey Drake
17:47man we're just
17:48going to play
17:49every single game
17:49down the stretch
17:50see if you can
17:50tear it up a bit
17:51maybe you know
17:52hit 280 285
17:53double digit home
17:54runs pump up
17:55your RBI like
17:56that's a legitimate
17:57spot I would look
17:58at Chase Burns
17:58also like why
17:59doesn't Chase Burns
18:00have the same type
18:01of hype of
18:01Mizorowski
18:01because we're
18:02talking only about
18:0318 starts
18:04Burns over his
18:04next three starts
18:05could strike out
18:0611 in each start
18:07and he catapults
18:08himself way up
18:09to the top
18:10there's a reason
18:10why the betting
18:11market is so
18:11tough with a
18:12rookie of the
18:12year because we
18:13haven't seen these
18:14guys there's no
18:14background like hey
18:15you remember that
18:15Ben three years
18:16ago he was really
18:16good over his
18:17final 15 starts
18:18in August and
18:19September we
18:19don't have that
18:20these guys can
18:21fall off or
18:21dominate at a
18:22moment's notice
18:23here being such
18:24young baseball
18:25players Mizorowski
18:26in the lead okay
18:27I understand it but
18:28he's only had five
18:28starts in Major
18:29League Baseball I
18:30can't just tip my
18:31cap deck oh
18:32that'll be minus
18:33800 by the end of
18:34July I wouldn't
18:35battle Mizorowski
18:36because why he's a
18:37rookie you can't
18:38guarantee things
18:38happen you know
18:40it's really funny
18:41too because we
18:42talk about the
18:43trends often when
18:44you see whatever
18:45award market it is
18:46in football in the
18:47NBA certainly in the
18:49National Football League
18:50when it comes to
18:50rookie of the year
18:51I've made the point
18:52often it's difficult
18:53for a quarterback to
18:54win because you
18:55need team success and
18:57individual success and
18:58now we've seen four
18:59QBs win the award in
19:00the last six years and
19:01the previous two
19:02winners CJ Stroud and
19:04Jane and Daniels
19:05basically wrap up the
19:06hardware by week five
19:08or six last year we
19:10had two starting
19:10pitchers win the two
19:11awards in the
19:12American League our
19:14guy Luis don't you
19:15dare call him Lucas
19:17Keel and of course
19:18Paul Skeens winning
19:19it in a National
19:20League Mizorowski the
19:22favorite to win it in
19:23the NL but prior to
19:25Skeens winning it last
19:26year in the National
19:27League the last
19:27starting pitcher true
19:29starting pitcher to
19:30win the award was
19:31Jacob deGrom in 2014
19:33again that's a decade
19:35of separation between
19:36starting pitchers winning
19:38the rookie of the year
19:39award in the NL in the
19:42American League it was
19:43Michael Fulmer you might
19:44be saying who for the
19:46Detroit Tigers back in
19:482016 as a true top end
19:50starting pitcher so again
19:52it is rare to see a
19:54starter win the award of
19:56rookie of the year in his
19:58debut season minus 210
20:00that price right now DRS
20:02elsewhere just so you
20:03know if you wanted to
20:04maybe find some value
20:06Drake Baldwin of the
20:07Atlanta Braves at plus
20:08340 has that second best
20:10price to win rookie of
20:11the year yeah exactly and
20:13those are the guys that
20:14you look for maybe
20:14expanded at bats heading
20:15down the stretch they can
20:16steal it and you're just
20:17looking for a trip up from
20:18the pitcher because the
20:19expectations for
20:20Mizorowski are oh he's
20:21going to continue to
20:22dominate and even if he
20:23slips back to a 3.25 ERA
20:26oh well we needed him
20:28under one to win that the
20:29expectations are
20:30incredibly high for him
20:31not necessarily for a
20:32batter we say okay hey
20:33look at these statistics
20:34at the end of the year he
20:35did play well and the
20:36pitcher didn't do so well
20:37down the stretch maybe you
20:38get that added advantage
20:39thrown in but the big
20:40Miz is being talked about
20:41a lot in the national
20:42landscape that's why he's
20:43the favorite right now
20:44yeah no doubt about it
20:46Edwin Diaz the closer for
20:48the New York Mets has that
20:50best price to win reliever
20:51of the year in the
20:52National League I would
20:53just keep an eye on
20:55Robert Suarez as well of
20:57the San Diego Padres he
20:59has the most saves in
21:00baseball with 28 yeah
21:02he's a good closer there
21:03and of course if you do
21:05get those bonus points
21:06where you're closing in
21:06high leverage situations in
21:08national games that's
21:09going to mean something to
21:10the voters no doubt
21:11yeah DRS the other two
21:13we'll talk about on the
21:14other side of the break
21:15and then we'll reset where
21:17the records are in the
21:18standings around MLB in
21:20the race to be baseball's
21:21best
21:22DRS the other award markets
21:25just to wrap up this
21:26conversation before we look
21:28at who has the best record
21:29in Major League Baseball at
21:31the break and who is
21:32favored to have the best
21:33record in Major League
21:34Baseball at the end of 162
21:37Ronald Acuna Jr an all-star
21:39who has come back for the
21:40Braves and looked like
21:42Ronald Acuna Jr as we know
21:44the 2023 NL MVP is a minus
21:461100 favorite to win
21:48comeback player of the year
21:49in the National League
21:51manager Craig Council of the
21:53Chicago Cubs a short
21:55favorite at minus 135 let us
21:57not forget last year it was
21:59Pat Murphy of the Milwaukee
22:01Brewers after Council
22:02shocked everybody and
22:03departed for the in-division
22:05foes this year Council is
22:07the favorite the Cubbies
22:08have a game lead over the
22:09Brewers atop the National
22:10League Central I think I
22:12always get a kick out of
22:12two is like sometimes it's
22:14not about the best teams
22:14like Council's a nice story
22:16like they're not a surprise
22:17oh my goodness never thought
22:18the Cubbies would be in
22:19first place at this point
22:20there's a lot of talent but
22:21like Dave Roberts 50 to 1
22:23you know Rob Thompson 50 to 1
22:25like the guys with good
22:26baseball teams these get
22:28knocked down a peg and you
22:29take a look at like the
22:30Mets are like a half game
22:31back of the Phillies at this
22:32point Carlos Mendoza 50 to 1
22:34it's almost like you have to
22:35have that hey we're usually
22:36not good we're finally good
22:38this year media likes you and
22:40you vote him to the top it's
22:41like in the NFL it's like hey
22:42coach of the year Andy Reid
22:43now he sucks put him like dead
22:44last there's no way he can
22:45win coach of the year it's
22:46kind of funny how that market
22:47works yeah it really is DRS
22:50it's also one of the newer
22:51awards in Major League Baseball
22:53and by the way the guy with
22:54the second best price to win
22:56manager of the year for a
22:58second straight season is Pat
23:00Murphy of the Brew Crew because
23:02we just keep thinking the
23:03Brewers are going to fall off
23:05and they consistently win games
23:07and try to earn playoff spots
23:09all right DRS speaking of the
23:10Brewers baseball's best team
23:12since June 1st and winners of
23:15seven straight at the all-star
23:18break hottest team in the
23:20National League 56 and 40 but
23:22still trailing the Cubs by a
23:24game atop the National League
23:25Central best record in the NL at
23:2858 and 39 despite snapping a
23:30seven-game slide last weekend
23:33that is the LA Dodgers are they on
23:36pace to go over their win total in
23:38the preseason of 104 and a half no
23:40their updated win total at the
23:42break is 100 and a hook but are
23:44the Dodgers the team that is
23:46favored to have the best record at
23:47the end of 162 of them yeah minus
23:50150 that price right now DRS despite
23:53the Detroit Tigers having the best
23:56record in baseball by a full game
23:57in front of LA at 59 and 38 yeah the
24:01Dodgers last 10 games three and
24:03seven heading into the break and
24:04they won those games on Saturday and
24:05Sunday to say you know what it's not
24:07at all that disastrous close to the
24:08regular season as we still sit five
24:10and a half games above the Padres but
24:12also the best team in Major League
24:13Baseball talent wise when they're
24:15healthy it is the Los Angeles Dodgers
24:17that's why they're the favorite right
24:18now and the expectations in two weeks
24:20when we get the trade deadline the
24:22Dodgers will actually be improving
24:23themselves even more it's astounding
24:25when we see like the Dodgers oh look
24:27at that they actually lost 39 games
24:28in the first half of the season it's
24:30like man that's impossible that's
24:32incredible that they did that no they
24:33still sit with one of the best
24:34records in Major League Baseball and
24:36the expectations are we probably
24:38expect them to be even better in the
24:40second half once they get that
24:41starting staff rectified and Shohei
24:43Otani goes from one to two to three
24:45to five innings and is a normal
24:46starter every five to six days so I
24:48don't have an issue there with the
24:49Dodgers because they do have the
24:51pedigree you look at the Tigers hey
24:52can't nothing win championship last
24:54year you know who did win it the
24:55Los Angeles Dodgers that's why
24:56they're favored at minus 150 and
24:58absolutely should be yeah NDRS when
25:02you look at the updated win totals
25:04here at the all-star break for of
25:06course what we have around Major
25:07League Baseball oh by the way a new
25:10market most team wins in July of
25:132025 of course the Red Sox are the
25:16favorites at plus 230 because Boston
25:18is 110 straight now here at the all
25:21star break when you look at those win
25:24totals around the bigs I said the
25:25updated number on the LA Dodgers 100
25:27and a half what is the updated win
25:29total on Detroit 96 and a half slight
25:33juice on the under at minus 114 of
25:36course last year was I think the first
25:38season since 2015 something close to
25:41at least a decade we did not have a
25:44100 game winner in Major League
25:46Baseball sure at the end of it we had
25:48the two biggest brands and the biggest
25:50payrolls in the sport in the LA Dodgers
25:52and the New York Yankees competing in a
25:55World Series but nobody in the regular
25:57season got to 100 wins I gave you that
26:00updated win total on the Dodgers they
26:03are the only team that is a slight
26:04favorite to win 100 plus games right now
26:07at minus 138 the Tigers the second best
26:10price at plus 240 Cubbies the third best
26:13number at four to one yes and also by the
26:16way the Dodgers to start the season what
26:17was their price point getting it on the
26:19win total was it 104 and a half like 105
26:21and a half something like that so yeah so
26:24not on correctly on those expectations but
26:26I do think the Dodgers will be playing a
26:28lot of meaningful baseball down the
26:29stretch and why is that important because
26:31understand this if the Dodgers are getting
26:33pushback from the Padres and the Giants
26:35that final 10 days of the season means we
26:37are throwing our best guys and we need to
26:39win these ball games we know how it gets
26:41to because until you have that win it's
26:43not in your pocket what I mean by that
26:45let's just say I need to get to 100 wins
26:46there's four games left now we have 99
26:48wins of course they want to get to 100
26:50what happens if that's a hundred and a
26:52half like okay got our hundredth win
26:54already clinched the division already have
26:56our seating figured last three games of
26:58the season no starters going to play in
27:00these games we're going to rest up and
27:01get ready for the playoffs and like oh my
27:03goodness I'm left at the altar by one
27:05win at that point so it's important that
27:07if you are cheering on a Dodgers team
27:09total whether it's from the beginning
27:10of the season or now you know who else
27:12you're cheering on the Padres Giants and
27:14the Diamondbacks as well you know what's
27:17really funny DRS is the Dodgers are the
27:19second best team in baseball record wise
27:21best team in the National League their
27:24price to win a World Series that was so
27:26wildly short to start the year the price
27:28to win the National League that was so
27:30wildly short to start the year has grown
27:32even shorter and yet they are going to
27:35probably finish at least based on the
27:37win total overall short of relative
27:39expectation entering the year Joe
27:42Friso who tracks all of these numbers
27:44for us our producer extraordinaire minus
27:46440 was the price DRS on the Dodgers to
27:49win at least a hundred games to get to
27:52the century mark this year now it's a
27:55minus 138 number best record in Major
27:59League Baseball since June 1st the
28:01Brewers at 25 and 12 the Red Sox and the
28:04Astros not all that far behind at 25 and
28:0713 also Toronto in that mix 25 and 13
28:11had the Astros DRS in the final week
28:13entering the all-star break not been bad
28:16dropping five of six against the
28:18Guardians and the Rangers they would
28:21probably have a little bit more juice to
28:23maybe pull the upset for the best record
28:25around MLB because again when you look at
28:29those standings right now in the American
28:31League 59 and 38 best record for the
28:34Tigers in baseball in the AL second best
28:37resides in Houston 56 and 40 the Jays have
28:40been on the heater they are 55 and 41 in the
28:45Cubbies of course had that second best
28:46record in the National League third best in
28:49the bigs overall 57 and 39 Chicago's been
28:53okay in the month of or since the start of
28:57June 1st at 21 and 17 but it's really been
29:00the Brewers Red Sox Astros in Blue Jays the
29:03only four teams DRS 10 plus games above 500 or
29:07better since the start of June yeah by the
29:10way the Houston Astros like yeah we didn't
29:12like the way they sort of careened into the
29:13break here but certainly in first place which
29:15is something they weren't for the first
29:16majority of the Major League Baseball season
29:18but also get this like the trade deadlines
29:20coming up it's a very good front office
29:22they'll make moves but here's some of the
29:23best moves they can make hey Jordan
29:25Alvarez coming back into the lineup one of
29:26the best power hitters in baseball
29:28Christian Javier one of the better number
29:30three pitchers in Major League Baseball
29:32he's due to come back off the IL shortly
29:33those are two massive improvements that
29:36line up without even making changes at the
29:38trade deadline those are some of the things
29:40that you try to add in to say how dominant
29:42can a team be in the second half and
29:43rounding into form of course it's always
29:45about the rest of your team staying
29:46interested in baseball meaning we're not
29:48getting injured we're not slumping at that
29:50time but I look at the Houston Astros
29:52certainly as a buy in buy on team second
29:54half not as opposed to what they did over
29:56the final week of the season the best is on
29:58the horizon it feels like for me for the
30:00Astros in 2025 you know DRS it's such a
30:03good point and we'll kind of get into those
30:05themes in stories for the second half post
30:08all-star break later in our third and
30:10final hour and all-star break updated pick
30:14six all around Major League Baseball you
30:17don't say our World Series predictions who
30:20we think will be the home run leader in
30:22award market that we like for a best bet
30:25win total playoff teams and a team to keep
30:28an eye on that could get hot or maybe
30:31approaching the trade deadline could be a
30:33buyer or a seller you have made it Donnie
30:37has made it the end of not yet week the end of
30:41hell week it is our final few moments here not
30:45really we've got about 30 minutes but our
30:47final few moments on the early line in our
30:50third and final hour of this Thursday the
30:53last day of the Major League Baseball all-star
30:55break the only live action we really have in
30:57the sporting landscape today is the open
31:00championship the WNBA at the all-star break
31:03all-star festivities beginning on a Friday in
31:06Indianapolis so on this final chance to reset
31:10and look at where Major League Baseball goes
31:13from here in a few weeks we'll have the trade
31:15deadline those teams that could be buying or
31:18selling ahead of the deadline the heavy hitters
31:21and those front runners of course we expect to
31:24make some splashes some disappointing teams
31:26might they be looking to sell off some pieces and
31:30then before you know it it's August and it's
31:33September the final two months of the long
31:35Major League Baseball season in DRS as we have
31:38repeated so many times it's not the halfway point
31:41we're not at game 81 every team around the bigs
31:45all 30 clubs have completed at least 95 of 162 I
31:50think you could call it a stretch run more than
31:53the second half in Major League Baseball so on
31:56this final day of the all-star break for
31:58everybody ahead of a full slate Friday tomorrow
32:00an updated MLB pick six let's have some fun shall
32:05we man why not have some fun at this point we
32:09should even got a stinger in at this point
32:10right now the budget should be high we haven't
32:12had to spend any money over the past four days
32:14because there's been no sports out here we should
32:16have a nice stinger for the pick six of a second
32:18half you know what I mean come on that's good we
32:21should do you know how like sometimes when we used
32:23to do bye-bye-bye we would throw in Lisey's voice
32:26yeah daily basis he would go up like that should be
32:31just the pick six stinger can you do it again we'll need
32:34him to do that like like can Lisey pick up extra work at the
32:37network now by just like doing voiceovers like I'd like to
32:40see him back on the network sooner than later at this point
32:42right now but yeah the pick six of the second half you know what
32:46what I mean like something like that just to get us through it was a nice
32:48stinger to say this is our last day because Ben autopilot right 52 weeks in
32:54a year right so you take a look and say there's two weeks where you can't be on
32:57autopilot it's this week where you really make your money and then it's
33:01Super Bowl week all outside the other 50 weeks we can just flip on autopilot and
33:05get after it you can't do that this week like there's other shows on the
33:08network that say mercy mercy I can't work Thursday I'm not a good enough host to
33:14work on a Thursday find out a little bit later on the show I'm not going to tip
33:18you guys off but there's a show tonight that's not on because that host said I
33:22don't have anything to talk about for an hour and a half now if you guys know
33:25what an hour and a half show looks like you'll find it later on the network but
33:29I'm just letting you know I'm not going to tell you what it is out here some hosts
33:32out here can't work these days Ben and I we're here for the people always
33:37remember that always some hosts can't work today I'm not going to tell you what it
33:42is but tonight an hour and a half show if anybody is a loyal sports grid viewer
33:47they already know what Donnie is talking about listen last couple of Thursdays
33:52we've had to disavow a lot I disavow that notion that we ever go on autopilot or we
33:58call out our colleagues and good friends yep all right for the pick six by the way
34:06here are our six categories our world series prediction the matchup and who wins it along
34:13with the price who ends up as the home run leader in the bigs this year in award market
34:18bet that we like MVP those are pretty strong prices to lay right now yeah Cy Young reliever
34:25manager rookie we'll talk in just a moment an updated win total here at the break for the
34:31final 65 plus games of this year a playoff price that we like and a team to watch that
34:39could be their selling or maybe a long shot to make that playoff push the RS in the final
34:44minute of this segment will continue to pick six for most of this final half hour I ask for
34:50your world series prediction my friend who's playing in the fall classic and who wins that
34:55championship yeah one day have a little bit of fun with this too because these are just to
34:59say why the Dodgers will be on the one side and quite frankly they just might be on that
35:02one side but for me I want to look sort of down like who can actually catch the Dodgers
35:06who can perform in the playoffs who can be that team they can get a great price one but still
35:11not say well that was the stupidest pick you ever made Donnie why did you go with that team
35:14it's actually the San Diego Padres and hear me out on this and I'll start with this
35:18it is always about pitching Michael King is a really good young pitcher that you got from
35:23the New York Yankees this year's been on the IL but he's working his way back and I always
35:27say Ben sometimes that the additions that you make by making a trade your best quote
35:31unquote trade just by getting back some of your better players healthy for the stretch
35:35run King sees Pavetta Darvish as a one through four with a really good bullpen that can do
35:42damage and I'm not even talking about the lineup that I like that has been underperforming for
35:46the first half if we get back to being average in that lineup why not the Padres getting there
35:51why not we'll talk more about the pick six at the all-star break next a pick six for the second
35:59half of this major league baseball season on the final day of the MLB all-star break DRS let's dive
36:05into it really quickly once again because we are going to start with our world series predictions
36:09and our matchups and who ends up being crowned a world series champ yours is a fun one and one that
36:17comes with a very long price of 140 to one if it happens the Padres over the Yankees why do you
36:26feel that way here at the end of the all-star break this one to sort of break the mold and say which
36:31team can catch a little bit of lightning in a bottle you take a look at the Yankees we know
36:34they're going to make some changes there and also they're fighting with a team like the Detroit Tigers
36:37who are very good and also the Houston Astros I think can be up there so I was just looking at a
36:42point was like yeah I could see the Yankees getting there but I wanted to swing a little bit more
36:45for the fences because the San Diego Padres pick then is the one that's actually going to cash in
36:49that bigger part of that 140 to one because no guarantees that they even get into the playoffs
36:54let alone make it through the you know wild card rounds and the NLCS and all that good stuff before
36:59they even make it to a world series to possibly play the New York Yankees but for me I just look
37:04at the Padres and say to myself that's a team that could have that pedigree they've been in the
37:08playoff mix before they have superstar players they're a starting pitching staff that can hold up and
37:13also a bullpen that can close out games and also the thoughts and the whispers of hey we would need
37:18a guy like a Jaron Duran at the top of that lineup here they're going to make changes to that lineup
37:22here I just want to catch a little as I said lightning in a bottle 141 price a little bit of
37:26a fun bet to root on down the stretch they have a lot of talent DRS in the offensive one through nine
37:32Manny Machado has had a great year Fernando Tatis Jr. has been excellent in the outfield the youngster
37:37Jackson Merrill and of course others that dot that lineup and more importantly as you mentioned the
37:43starting staff looks really good on paper with the return of a healthy Hugh Darvish and a healthy Michael
37:48King alongside Nick pitching Pavetta and Dylan Cease I'll talk a little bit more about San Diego in a moment
37:55DRS my world series prediction on opening day was the Dodgers and the Tigers I do believe the Dodgers will
38:01eventually be there the Dodgers won a world series last year without their top line starting staff and they
38:07dealt with some injuries to that starting rotation in the opening half of the year but if this goes
38:11those guys are back for the second half and namely October it's gonna be really hard to beat LA Tyler
38:17Glass now is back we have talked about Shohei Otani working his way back on the bump Yoshi Yamamoto
38:23is an all-star and has looked great and Donnie if Roki Sasaki and Blake Snell come back I'm not even
38:29sure what Dave Roberts does with how he formats his pitching staff come the postseason the Dodgers I
38:35believe are going to be there but it's not a great place of course on LA either to win a world series
38:40or the National League pennant because playoff baseball very different than even the regular
38:45season and those expectations but on opening day DRS I had a bet on the Detroit Tigers to win the
38:52American League at a 10 to 1 number it is not 10 to 1 any longer Detroit is the favorite plus
38:57to 60 and I trust a guy that was the Dodgers ace by the time they got to the world series
39:03and their opening game starter Jack Flaherty who is the number two in Detroit and the best pitcher
39:08in baseball in Tarek Skubal to be enough for this young and talented Tiger squad to maybe win a world
39:15series why not let's have some fun the Tigers over the Dodgers at a 16 to 1 price in the fall classic
39:21Motown getting back to a championship round and cutting it down hey by the way if you can get Flaherty
39:26to certainly step up as that number two you already know you have that number one and that's half the
39:30battle once you get to the playoffs itself and also the expectations of the regular season can bleed
39:35over into the postseason oh where have we saw that before oh OKC does very good in the regular season
39:40just wait till they play the better teams in the playoffs man they won't be able to hold up they
39:43did why can't the Tigers take a page out of OKC and say oh it is our year we didn't have a fluke
39:48regular season let's go out and win this damn thing kind of like the Tigers and the Lions DRS both
39:54in Motown both doing things they have not done in a very long time but continuing that success
40:01even elevating it the Tigers getting the playoffs for the first time in a decade last year winning
40:06their first playoff game since 2014 at Comerica Park hoping to do the same if they get to the World Series
40:12first appearance since 2012 if they win the World Series first time in more than four decades since
40:181984 DRS the home run leader will it be big dumper who has the three homer advantage right
40:25now in our derby champ Cal Raleigh with 38 three in front of Aaron Judge or will playing in the
40:32Northwest the remainder of this season when Aaron Judge is up in the Bronx and the other warm weather
40:37spots around the American League East down the stretch be too much DRS who is going to be the home
40:43run champ with the most dingers at the end of 2025 it's going to be Aaron Judge and you say hey man
40:49I can get Cal Raleigh with a couple home runs plus advantage and a plus money number where do I sign up
40:53he might quite frankly win that but I'm just looking at expectations and statistics that could possibly
40:58back it up there's a guy that's looking for yet another 50 plus home run career you know mark in his
41:04career that's not Cal Raleigh that's Aaron Judge he knows how to hit volume home runs and has done it
41:09multiple times but also it just can't be overlooked like the one most impressive feat maybe in Major
41:14League Baseball history if you remove like the cream in the clear was Barry Bonds playing in an
41:18unbelievably good pitcher's ballpark and scorching 70 plus home runs with that being his home park
41:24there now granted we understand that you play half your games on the road but you do play half of your
41:28games at home which could be a detriment it's not for the Yankees in Yankee Stadium it's not for
41:32playing at Fenway we're up in Toronto and now in the beautiful warm weather city of Tampa Bay in the heat
41:38in the elements or even in Baltimore you got great hitting cities up and down which includes your home
41:43ballpark that's an advantage for Aaron Judge he's used to the spotlight he's used to being an MVP he's
41:48used to being in New York City and performing well I can't pass up Aaron Judge winning that home run
41:53title once again I'll take him back at the minus 140 price yeah it's fair to RS and it's not even all
41:58that chalky both these guys could be flirting with history only one guy since Barry Bonds in 2001
42:04has hit 60 plus homers in a single season his name is Aaron Judge it happened in 2022 it was 62
42:11it is the American League all-time record both on pace for that big dumper on pace for 64
42:19the RS to your point and I think one of the reasons the judge has the minus money price
42:23you do play 81 games at home and 81 games on the road but the Mariners have played more games away
42:30from Seattle 50 out of their 96 than those in the Northwest so far 46 that means they will have
42:37more home games down the stretch than away games that could work against Cal Raleigh I'm still going
42:43to trust big dumper just because I love big dumper and I love Cal Raleigh I'll take the plus money price
42:49at plus 110 with the three home run advantage do I have a strong metric that tells me Cal Raleigh will
42:55withstand Aaron Judge no except for that he has a three home run lead and a much better nickname an
43:02awards market price DRS that we like MVP as we have talked about at length if you're going to lay it on
43:09the favorites right now probably not the best number and Donnie and I both believe that despite Cal Raleigh
43:14building the narrative probably not going to catch Aaron Judge and despite Pete Crow Armstrong having a
43:20historic year as well more than likely not catching Shohei Otani so not in the MVP races but elsewhere
43:26DRS what's the awards bet that you like most on this final day of the all-star break I'm going to go
43:31Josh Hader and we'll take a bit of plus money price to be the AL reliever of the year if you will and
43:36the American National League you know it's the Padres take a look at Robert Suarez with 28 saves total
43:40but there's two guys listed at 25 saves that will battle that's Josh Hader of the Astros and that's also
43:45Carlos Estevez for the Royals and also when you look at the field sometimes it comes down to just how many
43:50saves you have like you're the reliever of the year you're going to take a look at ERA we get that
43:53but also understand this the same way we talk about in the National League with Zach Wheeler on the mound
43:59going up against Paul Skeens the human element creeps in one guy's pitching unbelievable impactful
44:05high leverage situation games down the stretch and picking up wins you're going to get a better feel
44:10than a guy that's like hey Skeens just beat the Cincinnati Reds when there's no meaning to that game
44:14whatsoever so I look at Hader for the Astros and the expectations for your high for the second eight for the
44:19Astros that goes in lockstep the more chances the Astros have to win baseball games the more
44:24chances they have to close out situations and that puts Hader in a pretty positive light as opposed to
44:29Carlos Estevez for the Royals who might not make the playoffs therefore not pitching in many high
44:34leverage situations expectations down the stretch in September give me Josh Hader at the plus one plus
44:39120 price for the AL reliever award how about that I like that look TRS the NL reliever of the year
44:46favorite is Edwin Diaz he's been lights out for the New York Mets but only has 19 saves in comparison
44:52to San Diego's Robert Suarez Edwin Diaz this year is 4-0 he doesn't have a loss Suarez has four I'm not
45:00so sure if Edwin Diaz has a blown save we can check that as we come back on the other side of the break
45:07he did blow the save in the yes all-star game but at least through this regular season he has won
45:11this year we'll talk more about our pick six of the all-star break next welcome back to the early line
45:18it's time to continue with the pick six of the second half there it is DRS let's break it down
45:27final day of the all-star break that our animation stinger to get you excited for the entirety of what
45:36we have here in the pick six we were talking about those relievers again Edwin Diaz a minus 175 favorite
45:42in the National League to win reliever of the year despite Robert Suarez of San Diego having nine more
45:48saves Diaz only 19 only one blown save for Diaz and does so in emphatic in emphatic fashion with plenty
45:56more K's this year DRS my award best bet is Zach Wheeler at minus 125 to win NL Cy Young I still think
46:04you can bet that number despite Wheeler now being the favorite probably would have been better a few
46:08weeks ago at a much longer number when Paul Skeens was the minus money favorite but I think the odds
46:13are only going to increase to back Wheeler we have talked about it Skeens has the best ERA in baseball
46:19but Wheeler has been lights out Skeens is individual performance certainly worthy of consideration
46:25Wheeler's is as well and then Wheeler is the ace for a team in a pennant race trying to win a division
46:31I think at the end of the day come September that is going to be a stronger price than even now 20
46:37cents of difference between these two guys but I do have to say you and I kind of fudged up my friend
46:43we should have had at least one of us with an award best bet on our guy Jacob Wilson or Nick
46:49Kurtz of the athletics to win American League rookie of the year Wilson the all-star starter at
46:55shortstop for the American League on Tuesday night in Atlanta now even money plus 100 still love that look
47:01yeah rooks are tough though that's the problem with it right like it's just so fleeting sometimes
47:05like oh they're on top of the mountain and then they're back in triple a out of nowhere it's like
47:09oh there goes my ticket in my back pocket they're the tough ones here they're the real coin flips so
47:13we're trying to give the people those expectations of what you can actually sink their teeth into that's
47:18what we're giving them Ben all right DRS let's fly through our final through the pick six for the
47:24second half here with our favorite win totals now updated at the break DRS that's a little bit of
47:30home cooking if I do say so myself my friend yeah let me explain myself I don't really handicap team
47:35totals so why not take one for the team right here like let me just root for my own team at 93 and a
47:42half right now to go over to make it 94 you know what I mean like there's no handicap with this one
47:47like you know I don't lie to the people like hey I looked at their schedule I don't even know who
47:51they play coming out of the break let alone what their win total is supposed to be just give me the
47:54Philly's man come on man I love that for you right I love you can never question Donnie's
48:01authenticity that is for sure right he will even say things that he probably shouldn't
48:06as the host of a sports show but he did right there DRS you're well on your way to get an over
48:1193 and a half of course Philadelphia a half game lead in the NL East 55 and 41 at the break and the
48:19Phils are at home at the bank to open up the second half this weekend against the Angels
48:23Jesus Lozardo in the Phils a minus 205 favorite tomorrow we should be just adding it up I did a
48:30small bit of handicapping on the Houston Astros liking their win total to the over of 92 and a half
48:37Houston has 56 wins so far this year had they not lost five of their last six right before the
48:43all-star break they would have been even closer that win total would have been elevated but Houston
48:48since June still 25 and 13 playing better baseball they're starting pitching moves great Hunter Brown
48:55from Revaldez and we are still awaiting the return of Jordan Alvarez and in terms of schedules DRS
49:02for the second half Houston has the second easiest based on the win-loss record of their projected
49:08opponents for the second half in all of the big so I go over 92 and a half for the Astros who I
49:14think are going to run away with the American lead West yeah makes a lot of sense look I don't have
49:19any issues with that whatsoever I'm looking at a team that's supposed to be heading down the stretch
49:23and getting better because you're adding a superstar back in that lineup as a hitter and a very good
49:27pitcher there and maybe make a move at the deadline to even bolster that bullpen even more I like the
49:32direction of the Astros right now you're sort of buying under right now even though they're in first place
49:36they maybe could have got a better price a couple weeks ago when they're still floundering but that's
49:39a team to buy on and certainly look forward to watching in the second half all right DRS a playoff
49:45team that we expect to be there who are you looking at to make the postseason in either league yeah we'll
49:51keep it in Texas again and this is sort of a double down to starting the season where the expectations
49:55for me the Rangers possibly could make it to the World Series boy they haven't played to their
49:59expectations but they haven't played bad baseball as of late only one game back of crossing over the 500 mark
50:06and if they do that and Corey Seager playing better baseball and them just staying healthy
50:09there's too much talent on that team like Nathan Eovaldi healthy for the second half Jacob DeGrom
50:14pitching like he always thought he could as a front end rotation guy what's to say that the Rangers
50:19can't make it to the playoffs we're not even a minus money price anymore you take a look at a plus
50:24330 on the Rangers to make the playoffs I'll take a flyer on that I love a DRS and it kind of goes
50:30and correlates with my team to watch which is Texas as well now the Rangers have a more difficult
50:37schedule than most coming down the home stretch sixth hardest in all of MLB but right now DRS Texas
50:44where it stands they're only three and a half back of a wild card spot yeah and the Rangers are trailing
50:51a team in their own division the Seattle Mariners by three and a half games for that third and final
50:57wild card spot there's only one team sandwiched in between Texas and Seattle as well with that
51:03three and a half game difference and it is the Tampa Bay Rays the IRS my playoff team is the San
51:09Diego Padres right now that third wild card team a half game in front of their divisional mates in the
51:15San Francisco Giants and for all the reasons you think the Padres can win a World Series are all the
51:21reasons I think San Diego will solidify that spot as a wild card team in the second easiest schedule
51:27in the National League post all-star break DRS your team to watch is who it's going to be the Rays
51:35you just can't quit this team Ben we don't even know their household names at this point multiple
51:38all-stars though looking to step up on the biggest stage playing in a nice environment that you bet them
51:43on team totals you bet the game total to the over hitting props on the Rays that's a team I want to
51:47watch because number one they're fun to bet on they play in a great atmosphere and number two
51:52I think there's a legitimate chance they have a chance and a path to make it to the playoffs 50
51:56and 47 in the season give me a good second half here Tampa I'll be watching DRS it should be noted we
52:03talked about the Rangers you think they can make the playoffs a plus 330 place I think that is worth it
52:08three and a half games back of who the Mariners the divisional foes you play 13 games against your
52:14divisional teams each and every year Texas has already played Seattle nine times the Rangers
52:19are two and seven they are going to lose that regular season tiebreaker battle just should be
52:25noted if it comes down to it for wild card spots DRS enjoy Moneyline man power through the final day
52:32of hump week more of the early line next we'll talk tomorrow
52:35you
Recommended
30:29
|
Up next