MLB Player Props and Team USA's Olympic Basketball Strategy
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00:00live right here on this Monday on the early line on sports grid. I am Ben Stevens Donnie
00:08right side is here and it's a Monday. That means the properspective with Tom Vecchio
00:14Tom as always. We appreciate the time. Thank you for being here on this Monday to start
00:18off a new week on sports grid. Yeah, thanks for having me. We got some Olympic basketball
00:22to cover. We are in the dog days of MLB season preseason. NFL is here. I'm ready to go.
00:29Team USA a perfect three, you know in men's basketball Vecchio throughout group play
00:35action in group C capped off by a 21 point win over Puerto Rico on Saturday. It's been
00:42relatively easy so far for the Americans in group play. Now it matters even more with
00:49the knockout round the quarterfinal round starting tomorrow against Brazil. What have
00:54you made out of the American performance so far in the Olympic Games, you know, in
00:59kind of what I expected so far where you know, some early struggles is obviously a lot of
01:04talk about the rotation, but they got things ironed out. I think they're, you know, going
01:08ahead at full steam. I think this game is going to be, you know, very solid overall.
01:12My take would be US wins. They don't cover and we see the under hits. So, you know them
01:17winning by 22 points, I think would be a very comfortable very dominant win from them overall.
01:21You know, 26 and a half points is getting to that point where I have a few concerns.
01:27I'm not saying I have any concerns about them losing. They're obviously going to win this
01:30game, but then maybe not covering wouldn't shock me winning by 21 points. I think is
01:35where we're going to see. So I think the under is going to hit. I think they'll keep Brazil's
01:38defense in check, but I'm not sure how much they're going to get out and run and really
01:41pile up the points. Yeah, I agree with that too because it's surviving advance at this
01:45point. You would love a 20 point win 15 win 10 point win. They'll be just fine with that
01:49moving on. There's no style points required at this point in the competition, but we're
01:53talking about the Team USA Brazil game at minus 26 and a half at the Fandula Sportsbook.
01:57The other quarterfinal games pretty close listed here Greece and Germany seven and a
02:00half Australian Serbia six and a half Canada and France also seven and a half from the
02:05other games outside of Team USA versus Brazil. Give your eye on one of those games or how
02:09they're going to go. Yeah, France versus Canada has to be the most interesting. I think those
02:13are two pretty competent teams, especially because either of them could end up facing
02:18Team USA in the gold medal match gold medal match. I like France plus seven and a half.
02:23They've looked a little bit up and down just you know, I know they're winning games, but
02:26just in terms of putting together a full game. I still have a few doubts across the board.
02:29I still think Canada is a very good team. I also have a lot of faith in Germany. I think
02:33they look super solid. So I like France. I like Germany. I think just looking for some
02:37value potentially in direct metal outcomes, whether it's you know, USA versus Canada and
02:43then Germany picking up the the bronze like some sort of that. I think you can find some
02:47value in the market there. Before the final day of group play. I bet Germany to record
02:53a medal at plus 130 the Germans now minus 192 three undefeated teams in Olympic pool
02:59play action Canada in Group A Germany in Group B the United States in Group C the Americans
03:07just a one and two team against the spread. So Becca you mentioned the 26 and a half point
03:13number against Brazil tomorrow afternoon the over understands it 185 and a hawk.
03:19But how about the prop perspective? Which American performer do you expect to step up
03:24now in the quarterfinal round against the Brazilians? Yeah, let's keep things super
03:27simple with LeBron over twelve and a half rebounds plus assisted sitting at minus 130
03:32and like take from the beginning has always been that LeBron is going to do everything
03:36that it takes to win and that doesn't necessarily mean scored, right? He can facilitate the
03:40offense. He can distribute the ball seven to nine to seven and five six and eight is
03:43what he's had in the first three games. It comes to you of rebounds and assists. So over
03:47in two of three, does he need does he need to lead the team in scoring? No, but he can
03:51do everything else. And that's what we're going to see from him. I would say in all
03:55of the games moving forward, maybe not a ton of points, but the rebounds and assists from
03:59LeBron will always be there. Looking forward to it. See if us can grab a gold medal. Let's
04:04flip it over to Major League Baseball and we'll take a look at the Philadelphia Phillies
04:07and the Los Angeles Dodgers. What appears to be the two best teams in the National League
04:11depending on how they're playing on a day-to-day or week-to-week basis. The Phillies come into
04:15this game as an underdog. The Dodgers a slight favorite at a minus 132. The price for a dog
04:20for the Phillies is a plus 112 total listed at seven and a half Phillies. Finally with
04:24a big win yesterday, Nola Glasnell on the mound tonight. What gives here Tom? I think
04:29we're gonna see lack of scoring. I hope this is like a true playoff type atmosphere. This
04:33is what we should be seeing in the NLCS. So that's what I'm expecting from the game.
04:37Overall. I know the Phillies have been struggling as of late, but for this game right now, I'm
04:41going to glass now over seven and a half strikeouts. It's seeing a minus 112. He missed a little
04:44bit of time, but in his two starts since he's come back 91 102 pitches. We're not worried
04:49about his pitch count. 32.8% strikeout rate this season 13.7% swinging strike rate and
04:54a 2.89 Sierra is absolutely fantastic. The Phillies if we look at their strikeout rate
04:58versus right-handed pitching as the season season has gone on is a 22.5% in June 24.5%
05:04in July and some at 26.4% to start August. I actually just a few days in a smaller sample
05:09size, but if they're struggling right now glass now is the type of picture that can
05:12jump on that and we'll see him go deep into the game over seven and a half strikeouts
05:16sitting at minus 112. So back you as we look at this series and what we have seen so far
05:24between these two teams the two frontrunners in the National League pennant prices. We
05:28look back nearly a month ago at this point to the two facing off in Philadelphia to feel
05:34swept the Dodgers at that point six and a half games in front of LA for the best record
05:39in all of the National League, but since the all-star break just four and 11 for Philadelphia
05:45the Dodgers not in six, but they have dropped five of their last eight games. Where do you
05:50put these two teams in terms of pennant and World Series contention entering this marquee
05:55matchup in Los Angeles this week? I think they are perfect where they are. But as I
06:01talked about I think was last week or two weeks ago. I like the Phillies to face the
06:05Orioles direct outcome in the World Series. So that means I want to take the Phillies
06:09over the Dodgers in the NLCS at plus 600. So I think these are the two best teams. I
06:14think that's we're going to stay for the rest of the season. The rods are going to shift
06:16a little bit here or there but ultimately I'm not worried about their Phillies and this
06:19recent little skid that they've had whether you know, if we're looking at the other side
06:22of this and they scored 10 runs in five free games or six free games. I wouldn't be changing
06:26my opinion on the Phillies. They're scoring some runs then their bullpens, you know, blowing
06:30the game. They have great pitching then they have great bullpen and then their hitting
06:33is not coming through. So I'm not worried about a 5 or 16 sample size for any team at
06:38any point near really when I'm I have so much faith especially in their pitching staff when
06:42push comes to shove. So I want the Phillies over the Dodgers in the NLCS at plus 600.
06:48All right, let's keep moving along here and you're going to see a graphic on the screen.
06:50We don't want you to adjust or say maybe your internet is off or maybe to put your glasses
06:55on the Oakland Athletics are taking on the Chicago White Sox today a minus 178 price
07:02with the Oakland Athletics over the White Sox in a total of eight and a half. It's Bush
07:06versus Sears historic historic numbers. Not only because the Oakland Athletics almost
07:11a two-to-one favorite, but the White Sox looks like they're going to lose again. Tom, what's
07:15your thoughts that a White Sox Athletics?
07:18I can't possibly bet on the White Sox. I also can't possibly bet on the Athletics. The only
07:24spot to go. I think would be maybe trusting JP Sears over four and a half strikeouts.
07:28It is sitting at minus 144 Chicago. They have the six worst strikeout rate versus left-handed
07:32pitching. Sears has got some strikeouts going especially since the start of July. He's got
07:36up at eight and nine. So I'm not laying money with the Athletics. That's never going to
07:40happen. I also can't possibly trust the White Sox but maybe we can trust JP Sears who isn't
07:45the worst pitcher in the world and he's not the best pitcher but he can jump on his White
07:49Sox lineup. That is just absolutely dreadful right now.
07:5320 consecutive losses for Chicago. The longest losing streak in Major League Baseball this
07:59Millennium in 2000. The longest since 1988 when the Baltimore Orioles started the season
08:060-21. Another loss today for the White Sox. They matched that in history in the worst
08:13way that you could ever hope for history. A divisional duel, an in-state showdown. Beck,
08:19you'll get started today in Arlington between the Rangers and the Astros. A virtual pick-em
08:24minus 112 for Houston. A slight favorite eight and a half is the total. What do you like
08:29tonight in Arlington? Let's keep it really simple. And that's Jose Altuve for two plus
08:34total bases at plus 105. He's going up against Andrew Keeney. 396 slugging allowed to right-handed
08:40hitters. 1.30 homeruns trying. He's got a 46.9% fly ball rate. Altuve, of course, great
08:45versus lefties. 140 WRC+. He's got a 398 Babbitt. And while I'm not a big believer
08:51in BVP, overall batter versus pitcher directly, Altuve has kind of crushed Keeney in his career.
08:56In 46 at bat, he's got 14 hits, which is above 300. Batting average, obviously, is the most
09:00important stat. But Keeney's not a good pitcher. Altuve's a great hitter. We know that. Let's
09:05just keep it super simple. He gets on base, picks up a couple singles. Two plus total
09:08bases at plus 105. The Rangers have lost seven of their last nine. The Astros have dropped
09:14five of their last seven. Tom Vecchio, we appreciate the prompt perspective, as always.