Category
🥇
SportsTranscript
00:00 [MUSIC]
00:05 Live right here on this Wednesday on the early line on Sports Grid.
00:09 I am Ben Donnies on the right side and Craig is the man in the middle.
00:13 That is Craig Mish, the host of Newswire starting at 11 AM Eastern Time.
00:17 And of course, our Major League Baseball insider here on the Sports Grid network.
00:21 Craig, a lot of conversation around MLB this week has been the perfect
00:26 intersection of your show on Newswire.
00:28 Sports betting news and baseball, some of it with sports betting that has
00:33 happened in Major League Baseball and those big stories including yesterday.
00:38 And Ipe Muzuhara, Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter,
00:42 pleading guilty and MLB wrapping up its investigation.
00:46 As we dive right in,
00:48 what was your reaction to MLB closing its investigation into Shohei Ohtani?
00:52 >> Yeah, that's the first part of it.
00:55 I think that was really important to put that behind them because Ohtani is gonna
00:59 be on display once again, most likely I would say at the All-Star game,
01:03 if not in the Home Run Derby again, I would guess.
01:05 I mean, that's coming up real soon.
01:07 They don't want this conversation to linger into that.
01:09 So it was good that that was put to bed.
01:11 As far as Ohtani is concerned, personally,
01:13 I do think that a lot of the stuff that happened that he didn't know about.
01:18 I definitely feel that way.
01:19 But still for me, the fact remains is that we all check our checking account and
01:23 our bank accounts every once in a while, if not every day.
01:27 Hard to believe this guy never questioned half a million dollars leaving his account.
01:32 That's just me.
01:33 Maybe that's the case.
01:35 And I'll defer to the fact that the investigation said that he had no idea
01:40 about it, okay, so be it.
01:42 It's just, as I've explained to other people, it's just crazy for
01:46 me to believe that you would look at your account, maybe all of us, and
01:49 see a few thousand, ten thousand, oh my gosh, what's going on here?
01:52 And not question anything.
01:53 But okay, as far as the other story is concerned,
01:56 I guess my takeaway from that was I was happy, Ben, that later in the day,
01:59 we talked about it in the morning, but I was happy later in the day that
02:03 the talking heads, so to speak, and
02:05 the analysts were not singling out Major League Baseball.
02:07 I think they probably wanted to, and then realized, wait,
02:09 all of a sudden this happened in our sport, in the NBA.
02:12 This happened in our sport, in the NFL.
02:14 So it's a league-wide issue.
02:15 They gotta get it fixed one way or the other.
02:17 But naturally for me, they're setting precedent for a lot of these players,
02:21 especially the ones in the minor leagues.
02:23 I mean, I don't think they did anything particularly too egregious,
02:26 kind of sad to think that you could bet $100 on something and
02:28 be suspended a year, but they're setting the precedent now.
02:31 My guess is, Ben, doing the show five, ten, 15 years from now,
02:35 the penalties will be a lot less stiffer.
02:38 >> Crazy part about this too, Craig, as we look back at it,
02:43 is it wasn't actually legalized sports gambling because it's not legal in
02:46 California, so there's extra added layers of maybe some unsavory characters
02:51 slipping in there, but that is a lot of money, you're right,
02:53 disappearing from an account.
02:54 And it looks like for all intents and purposes,
02:56 Major League Baseball is going to close the door on them.
02:59 I'll tell you, he's not closing the door on anybody.
03:00 That's the New York Yankees, 43-19.
03:03 The window is wide open to get their bet on the Yankees for
03:05 a possible World Series championship this year.
03:08 Five to one victory yesterday over the Twins.
03:10 Luis Gil has been absolutely phenomenal.
03:12 You take a look on the horizon here, great starts in minor league rehab starts
03:16 here for Garrett Cole, Cy Young award-winning pitcher to come back.
03:19 The Yankees sitting high and mighty right now, Craig.
03:22 >> Yeah, Hill's a huge surprise.
03:24 I don't know what kind of the surprise award of Major League Baseball would go
03:29 to, but he would get it.
03:30 I mean, he came out of nowhere.
03:32 I remember doing fantasy baseball drafts in February and March.
03:35 He didn't name this guy as somebody that was even close to being a target.
03:39 So it's been, to me, one of their best stories of the year,
03:42 Juan Soto being the other great story for them.
03:45 And as you mentioned, Donnie Garrett Cole looked good in a rehab assignment.
03:47 They get him back as well.
03:49 And look, right now you got to give the Yankees credit.
03:52 It is a little annoying for me because to hear Yankee news all the time,
03:55 this is not something that I want to do.
03:57 I have to do it on Newswire.
03:58 I have to talk about it here.
04:00 But look, credit where it's due.
04:02 They're playing great baseball.
04:04 Haven't really gotten to the finish line in a long time.
04:06 Maybe this is the year that they end up doing it, guys.
04:10 Still remains to be seen.
04:11 >> Craig, you still sound a little bit skeptical if I'm just putting my own
04:15 brush on it.
04:16 But as we look at Luis Hill, minus money odds on favorite now to win
04:20 the American League Rookie of the Year award, ever so slightly now in front
04:25 of Mason Miller.
04:26 In your estimation, is Luis Hill the rightful favorite to win the AL rookie
04:32 of the year award?
04:33 >> Yeah, he'll have to keep it going because Mason Miller has been on the minds
04:37 of a lot of people over the last few months.
04:40 And I do think that there will be some sentiment, especially if he stays
04:42 in Oakland, to give a player on Oakland the award.
04:46 I mean, it's a really difficult environment to be able to pitch in for
04:49 Miller.
04:49 There's no fans there.
04:50 No one seems to care.
04:52 Really tough.
04:53 I guess you could make the case it's even tougher for Hill to pitch in the Bronx.
04:56 So I think it's fair.
04:57 Probably a two-player race at this point.
05:00 Hill will still have to prove it over the rest of the season.
05:03 It will not be easy to do.
05:05 But those two players have been fantastic.
05:06 And again, we're a month away, basically, from the All-Star game.
05:10 And I would expect to see both of those players in Arlington in July.
05:15 >> Thank you, fans.
05:16 Hoping there, Craig, Hill will be fine for the rest of the season.
05:19 We'll see how that one plays out.
05:20 But today, centers, you like that one.
05:22 Center stage in Pittsburgh.
05:23 Paxton Skeins.
05:25 And the only surprise coming from many here is why the Pittsburgh Pirates are the
05:28 favorite today at a minus 112 price here right at the Vandula Sportsbook.
05:32 And a total of 8.5 yesterday.
05:34 The Dodgers didn't score, Craig.
05:35 Will the Dodgers score today?
05:36 Will they win?
05:38 >> I mean, I think at this point, you have to back Skeins every start.
05:41 I mean, it doesn't seem to matter, Donnie.
05:43 There's been any fading, you've lost any fade.
05:46 You've lost his games fading.
05:49 You've lost his strikeouts.
05:50 You've lost his amount of runs given up.
05:52 And until further notice, outside of his first start of the season,
05:56 I mean, he's virtually been unhittable.
05:58 Now, look, he's going up against maybe the best lineup in the National League,
06:02 potentially, maybe the Braves, maybe the Phillies.
06:04 You can have that debate.
06:05 I would expect a very exciting, tight game today where it probably is going to
06:11 come down to Chapman in the ninth inning getting a save.
06:13 That would be my guess.
06:14 I don't know if you saw that video of him.
06:15 He thought he gave up a home run.
06:17 He looked up, he was like all mad, and then the guy just caught the ball in
06:20 center field.
06:20 So I think it'll come down to that.
06:22 Or Bednar, by the way, for Pittsburgh.
06:24 They're going to have to close out a close game against LA would be my guess.
06:28 >> Start number five for Paul Skeins in his Major League Baseball career, 2-0 so
06:33 far with a 2-4-5 ERA, seven or more strikeouts in three of the four.
06:38 And in those games, Pittsburgh has won three of the four starts that Skeins has
06:42 made so far.
06:44 The Dodgers, Craig, just an underdog for the third time this year in what is going
06:48 to be their 63rd game of the season in this Major League Baseball campaign in 2024.
06:55 Craig Misch, as always, we appreciate the time.
06:58 Thank you for being here with us on this Wednesday on the Early Line on Sports
07:01 Grid.
07:02 We'll see you on Newswire in just about 40 minutes starting at 11 a.m.
07:05 Eastern.
07:06 >> Go Yankees.
07:07 >> Whoa.
07:09 >> Mm.
07:11 >> No, he's shaking his head.
07:12 See, he's shaking his head.
07:14 Craig, Yankees or Phillies, who would you rather win the World Series?
07:16 >> Phillies.
07:19 Of course, all day, every day.
07:21 >> More MLB play back.
07:25 Major League Baseball plays on this Wednesday a full slate,
07:29 six games during the afternoon hours.
07:32 That includes one in Philadelphia, first pitch scheduled for
07:36 just after 4 p.m. Eastern time at Citizens Bank Ballpark.
07:40 Arenola on the bump for the Phils, on the other side for the Brewers.
07:45 It is Ashby.
07:45 I started saying that without knowing this man's first name.
07:49 So that's on the Philadelphia favorite at a minus 188 price
07:54 to sweep the Milwaukee Brewers this week, the over under at eight and a half.
07:59 >> What is Ashby's first name, Donnie, so we don't look bad as a program?
08:02 >> A-A-Ron, A-A-Ron Ashby at this point, it's a double A.
08:06 >> Yeah, good. >> Coming to town.
08:07 There you go. >> Yeah.
08:08 >> All right, so we got that figured out here.
08:09 Now let's figure out who's gonna win this game.
08:11 It's probably gonna be the Philadelphia Phillies.
08:12 No one's going up against Ashby, but also, you take a look at the minor league
08:15 start, since we don't have a lot of major league starts this year for Ashby.
08:18 How about if I told you in AAA, he's got a 6.80 ERA and a fifth number of 5.28.
08:23 Then if I told you, Citizens Bank Ballpark today, first pitch, 81 degrees and
08:27 10 mile an hour wind blowing dead out to center field.
08:30 The Philadelphia Phillies lineup against left handed pitching over the past 30
08:33 days has been very good.
08:34 Schwarber, Rielmuto, Harper, Castellanos, Stott, Sosa, and
08:38 Pache, all 319 or higher as a weighted on base percentage.
08:42 However, if you look at that Milwaukee lineup today, and Aaron Noah,
08:45 obviously a better pedigree pitcher than Ashby is, but they have seven to eight
08:50 guys at a 315 or higher weighted on base percentage against right handed pitching.
08:54 So if we take a look at a game last night where we didn't get a lot of scoring at
08:56 home, two to one, yes, I know Aaron Noah has the legitimate chance to be a
08:59 dominant starter at home, I get it.
09:01 The weather conditions are really good.
09:03 The lineups match up very well with these pitchers.
09:05 We're probably getting close to ten runs in this one.
09:07 >> Yeah, not even just last night, two to one,
09:10 the Phil's winning in extras in that tenth frame.
09:13 But also the first game of this series on Monday,
09:16 three to one the victory for Philadelphia.
09:18 Despite Reece Hoskins homering in his return to Philly.
09:23 And that's unusual for the Brewers to play low scoring baseball games.
09:26 Milwaukee highest over percentage in MLB,
09:29 still despite the two unders in back to back days.
09:32 34 overs this year for the Brewers, 34 overs in 61 games,
09:37 that's the most in Major League Baseball.
09:39 Six straight wins for the New York Yankees.
09:42 Can they make that seven in a row and
09:44 continue to be the hottest team in Major League Baseball?
09:47 The Yanks have also won all four games they have played so
09:50 far this season against the Minnesota Twins.
09:53 Pretty heavily favored like the Philadelphia Phillies were to win this game
09:57 tonight and make it win number 44 of the year.
09:59 It's minus 188 on the money line against Minnesota.
10:02 >> Good luck Chris Paddock tonight.
10:04 Why do I say that?
10:05 Against right handed batters who has faced 128 of on the season,
10:08 a 203 ISO and a weighted on base percentage of 348.
10:11 In the last 30 days that rises from a 203 ISO to a 228.
10:15 From a weighted on base percentage of 348 up to a 387 here.
10:19 So you're looking right in the middle of that lineup again.
10:21 Aaron Judge with that ridiculous statistics here with his ISO power numbers and
10:25 weighted on base percentage.
10:26 Same thing with Giancarlo Stanton.
10:27 They'll probably be able to get away with it.
10:28 Now if you're saying to yourself, well, Minnesota's a quality ball club and
10:31 Rodon has struggled at times this year.
10:33 He hasn't really struggled against right handed batters over the past 30 days.
10:36 Only 289 weighted on base percentage.
10:38 Every single batter in the lineup tonight, due to switch hitting and
10:41 right handed batters, will all be from the right hand side.
10:44 Yankee could win this game and you need to take a look once again at Stanton and
10:48 Judge in the middle of that lineup for RBI opportunities.
10:52 >> Both two ribbies yesterday, Aaron Judge a two run RBI double,
10:56 Giancarlo Stanton a two run home run late in that baseball game as New York won
11:00 the opener five to one for its sixth consecutive victory.
11:03 Cleveland stormed all the way back yesterday to become that third team
11:08 to reach the 40 win benchmark so far this season.
11:11 Those three teams around the bigs, the Yankees and the Phillies, each with 43 wins.
11:15 The Cleveland Guardians now 40 and 20.
11:18 The Guardians a slight favorite today at home, minus 126 against
11:22 the Kansas City Royals over under at eight and a half.
11:25 Again, the Guardians were down five nothing yesterday,
11:28 came all the way back to win eight zip.
11:30 Eight and a half the total today, what do we see in the land?
11:32 >> Take a look here in Cleveland, 75 degrees with a wind blowing out of nine
11:37 miles an hour to about right center field.
11:38 That's really good.
11:39 The bad thing, a lot of storms expected in that environment.
11:42 So who knows how long the starters will go if we have a delayed start and
11:45 maybe the game doesn't get played at all.
11:46 We'll have to keep an eye on that a little bit later.
11:47 But having said that, Singer, take a look at him over his past 30 days.
11:51 51 batters that he's faced from the left hand side, a 244 ISO and
11:55 close to a 500 weighted on base percentage to righties, he's been filthy.
11:59 So if I'm looking at objectively saying I need a lot of lefties in the lineup,
12:02 take a look at Cleveland tonight.
12:03 Juan, lefty, Jimenez, lefty, Ramirez, lefty, Naylor, lefty, Brennan, lefty,
12:07 Naylor, lefty, again, there's two Naylors in the lineup.
12:10 Which always, by the way, quick little side point there.
12:12 You see Naylor pop up with an RBI.
12:14 Typically it's Josh that you're voting on.
12:16 When you get the notion that you need a, Naylor is opposed, that's a tough scene.
12:19 But in the middle of that lineup, Ramirez and
12:21 Naylor, sensational against right handed pitching over the past 30 days.
12:25 Those guys need to be on your cards tonight with hits and also RBI.
12:28 >> Brady Singer scratched from his start last week for KC.
12:32 His last start was now two Saturdays ago.
12:35 But in four of the five starts he made in May, only a single earn run allowed.
12:40 [MUSIC]