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00:00Welcome to our number two bright and early here on a Friday morning to get you ready for the weekend and a new Major League Baseball season.
00:08He is Donnie right side. I am Ben Stevens. This is the early line on sports grid in this second hour much like yesterday in early preview of 2025 in MLB.
00:19Our first spring training game of this spring yesterday. Was it in Florida? No, Arizona, right?
00:26Yeah, the Cubs are in Arizona. The Dodgers certainly in Arizona as well. Chicago big outright victory as the underdog 12 to 4.
00:34Yesterday we went league by league, division by division talking about those contenders for a pennant and of course a World Series championship.
00:42Today, more of the individual approach. The MVP odds in all of the honors that we can see throughout Major League Baseball this season.
00:52And some big news out of the Bronx as well as times for the New York Yankees. A lot to get to hear DRS in this second hour.
01:01Absolutely, there's a lot to get to here and it is nice to have Major League Baseball.
01:05We're going to get the highlights back your favorite team and the favorite pitchers coming out here.
01:09Bryce Harper yesterday showing off that he got a Philly fanatic tattoo here.
01:12So further ingratiating himself to the city of brotherly love.
01:15So it's a good time here for the start to turn around because it's still cold in the Northeast.
01:20You just like to see the highlights of, oh, it might be warmer at some parts of the country here.
01:24And baseball is a sign that summer is getting closer and closer.
01:27And we love that. We do.
01:29Food influencer Bryce Harper. Put the raw milk away, buddy.
01:33It's OK to have a couple of antibiotics in my house.
01:39This is all about it. Big news out of the Bronx as we share, not injuries or anything of the sort.
01:46This is 10 minutes ago. Statement from Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner.
01:51Alteration of the Yankees longstanding facial hair policy.
01:55In recent weeks, I have spoken to a large number of former and current Yankees spanning several eras
02:01to elicit their perspectives on our longstanding facial hair and grooming policy.
02:06And I appreciate their earnest and varied feedback.
02:09These most recent conversations are an extension of an ongoing internal dialogue that dates back several years.
02:16Ultimately, the final decision rests with me.
02:19And after great consideration, we will be amending our expectations to allow our players
02:25and uniformed personnel to have well-groomed beards moving forward.
02:31It is the appropriate time to move beyond the familiar comfort of our former policy.
02:37Of course, the IRS longstanding policy in New York.
02:41You could not have facial hair if you wore the pinstripes in the Bronx.
02:45Only a very well-kept and tidy mustache.
02:49That was it. The beards are back in the Bronx.
02:52What does it mean for the Yankees?
02:55Yeah, come on. Worst tradition.
02:56Aren't the Yankees supposed to be one of the most traditional franchises around?
02:59And if the dad's going to institute something like that, you're going to go against your dad's wishes.
03:03It's a wonder why the dad won all the time and the sons barely can win at all at this point.
03:07Yet by having a team in New York City with all the coffers and that payroll that they can have.
03:11So, OK, if we're not about tradition anymore, how about doing away with one of the dumbest traditions of all time,
03:15which is the Yankees? Put the name on the back of your jersey at home.
03:18Do away with that tradition, too.
03:19Hey, look, beards, mustaches, goatees, long hair and put the name on the back of the jersey at home.
03:25How about that, New York? Is that good for tradition for you as well?
03:29Well-kept beards. We're not about to be hippies out here.
03:32We got to keep things fine. Trust me.
03:35Johnny Damon will come back out of retirement like a caveman.
03:39You think so? You think he was the final push?
03:43Exactly.
03:44He's like, listen, Hal, I lost all my mojo when I left Boston to join you in the Bronx and I had to cut my hair.
03:51Yeah, they got to be eyeing up somebody over the next, like, offseason.
03:54It's like, this guy's not going to come here because he likes his hair a little bit longer or wears a beard.
03:58So this has to have, like, an ulterior motive that they're already setting up and trying to blame it on.
04:03But by the way, if you are a smart owner, right?
04:05And you're like, hey, look, some of the best players in this league have big, thick, bushy beards at this point.
04:09Like James Harden, like, hey, look, I can't pay the guy $600 million because he won't shave his beard.
04:14Like, that's usually a great business model because it keeps you from signing players.
04:17And you can use that as a crutch and excuse.
04:20No more excuses now. Elm Kemp guys to the Yankees for $800 million. Let's go.
04:25You saying thick, big, bushy beards really just got me.
04:28I don't know why, but the combination of all of those words.
04:33Does Aaron Judge come out with a beard this year?
04:36I'll tell you one thing. Garrett Cole looks so much better with a beard dating back to his Astros days,
04:42where he won a World Series than he ever has in New York.
04:45Devin Williams just came over to the Yanks, one of the best back and bullpen closers in baseball.
04:51Had to shave his beard. Let it grow, Devin. Let it grow.
04:55Max Freed, sporting a mustache. What does Nestor Cortez look to do?
05:00How about our guy, Luis? Don't call him you-know-what. He'll. We'll see.
05:06We shall see. The rest of you remember a conversation we had last summer
05:11where Aaron Judge was an odds-on favorite.
05:14Well, on his way to winning his second MVP award in the last three years.
05:19And you told me, straight-faced and all, very earnest, that Aaron Judge,
05:24entering the 2025 MLB season, would not, would not be booked as the MVP favorite
05:31entering the year. Let's go to the MVP odds, because there is Aaron Judge
05:36atop the odds board as the AL MVP favorite, looking to win his third in the last four seasons.
05:43And if you look at the NL odds, Juan Soto's in second place at a plus 550
05:47and maybe the biggest favorite of all time in Shohei Otani.
05:50So if I'm using my metrics, Soto would be ahead of Judge this year,
05:53probably like a plus 275 price, just looking at those two numbers.
05:56So there you go. Extrapolate to the max at this point.
05:59But we do think Aaron Judge is going to have a good season,
06:01but it is a very wide-open race.
06:03Like, I don't think anybody's really a front-runner, per se, where it's like,
06:06hey, if Otani hits 50 bombs and pitches three innings this year,
06:09like, nobody can actually get that award.
06:11So it's nice and refreshing to talk about the American League,
06:14where I think a lot of people can have really good seasons.
06:16And just based upon the first six people I'm looking at, up to Vlade Guerrero,
06:1915-1 or less, it's feasible.
06:21Like, nobody's going to look at Bobby Wood and say he can't win the MVP.
06:24He plays in a smaller market on a team that might not be able to do damage,
06:27but the guy's an absolutely hitting machine and hits for average.
06:30Gunnar Henderson, fences moving back in down there at Camden Yards.
06:35Maybe he hits more home runs at 7-1 price.
06:37Corey Seager, you know he's always got that detail down there in Texas.
06:40So I'm excited to see some of these players.
06:42But in agreement, like you're saying, well, who should it be?
06:45Definitely it's going to be Aaron Judge,
06:46because if you're in that small ballpark in the summer,
06:48and also when you play in a division with a lot of small ballparks,
06:51he's a home run hitter, you get the benefit of the doubt.
06:53You pop 50 home runs, you're going to be in that top three, no doubt about it,
06:57come September, regardless of what anybody else does.
07:00And I'll just say, DRS, I actually did not expect the odds to be this tight.
07:04I would have thought Aaron Judge probably had a dollar at least on everybody.
07:08There's 20 cents in front of Bobby Junior.
07:12And the reason Aaron Judge has won MVP awards, of course, the history,
07:16the most home runs ever in the American League, 62 in 2022,
07:21on pace for a good majority of last season to eclipse that historic mark as well,
07:26still led the bigs with 58 long balls and 144 RBIs.
07:31If Aaron Judge even falls slightly short of those numbers,
07:35let's say he has 51 home runs and 125 RBIs,
07:39that's going to hurt his case for AL MVP,
07:42because he's almost competing against his former self,
07:45his current self, in the rest of the field.
07:48And the voters, DRS, who we know are very opinionated in Major League Baseball,
07:53we can't give it to the same guy,
07:55even if he has a beard for a third time in four years.
07:59I think there's a ton of value across the board.
08:01Bobby Wood Junior, maybe not a ton of value,
08:04still think he is going to be in the top five at bare minimum,
08:07and a large drop-off to Gunnar Henderson, Corey Seager,
08:10Yordan Alvarez, Vladdy Jr. playing in a contract and career year.
08:15A lot to like in the American League MVP odds, Donnie,
08:18to your point about it feeling a little bit up in the air,
08:21where you can put a couple of bets in,
08:23take a couple of stabs at it, and probably find yourself a good number.
08:27Exactly, and maybe somebody doesn't run away with it early
08:30and gets that huge price point, because understand this,
08:32Aaron Judge, no stranger to going on the IL at that point either.
08:35When you're getting injured and you expect to carry the load,
08:37and maybe some things will be different where, as we like to say,
08:40Juan Soto not in there to protect him,
08:42where he's going to get to see more fastballs,
08:43somebody else has to step up.
08:45When you are an MVP, you better be locked in that next year,
08:48because they're going to pitch around you every single chance they get.
08:51Also, the fans get upset.
08:53If Aaron Judge comes out in his 35 home runs,
08:55man, what a terrible season.
08:57Hey, man, when you're the king of the hill the year before,
08:59you better produce the next year, particularly in New York City,
09:02where the expectations are really high for the Yankees again.
09:05Similar conversations around Nikola Jokic.
09:08All right, the guy averages a triple-double.
09:10Well, you better have a triple-double every night.
09:12Same thing for Aaron Judge.
09:14The rest of the honors around the American League next.
09:17So we looked at the MVP odds around the American League,
09:20who might have a beard in the Bronx this year.
09:22Now the rest of the American League award odds throughout the AL in 2025.
09:29The reigning Cy Young winner is back in Detroit.
09:32Tarek Skoobel, plus 350.
09:35Last repeat Cy Young winner in either league.
09:38That was Jacob DeGrom for the New York Mets in 2018 and 2019.
09:42Hasn't happened in the American League since 1999-2000 in Pedro Martinez.
09:48Some great stat finds from our stat man and producer extraordinaire, Joe Friese.
09:53Rookie of the year, Jason Dominguez.
09:56Four home runs in eight games when he first came up in 2023.
09:59Then tore his UCL, played only 18 games in 2024.
10:04Dominguez with the Yankees, right?
10:05I'm not crazy in saying that.
10:07Three-to-one number for Dominguez there.
10:10Manager of the year, Dan Wilson at a four-to-one number.
10:14First season as the Mariners' manager.
10:16Seattle expected to be in that playoff mix around the American League and AL West.
10:21Team win total at 84.5.
10:23Emmanuel Classe, plus 250 to be the reliever of the year.
10:27Like Aaron Judge, he has won this award twice in the last three seasons,
10:31in 2022 and 2024.
10:33And if Mike Trout with the move to right field can stay healthy,
10:37comeback player of the year at plus 350 in the AL makes a ton of sense.
10:41Yeah, the Trout one does make a lot of sense.
10:43Like this guy just has to come back and hit 280 and hit, what, 25 home runs.
10:47He's probably going to be the comeback player of the year at a plus 350 price,
10:50which looks pretty solid.
10:51But I want to focus here on the AL Cy Young award-winning market,
10:54because Tarek Skubal is a damn good pitcher, rightfully so, plus 350.
10:58Where have all the good pitchers gone in the American League, though, Ben?
11:01Like second place is Garrett Crochet, Cole Reagans,
11:04a 36-year-old broken down Jacob DeGrom is 11-to-1 in fourth place
11:08in the odds market.
11:09Like I'm surprised I see Garrett Cole at 12-to-1,
11:11knowing that he can win it, max free 20-to-1.
11:13But my goodness, like you usually expect to see like top names,
11:17at least for the first 10 in the odds market,
11:19and number two, we're getting Garrett Crochet?
11:21Did everybody get stolen from the Dodgers, the Phillies,
11:24for the National League, where that's the only market
11:26that you can actually have legitimate pitchers in?
11:28That is an absolutely wide open market.
11:30Now, granted, would you bet Skubal can, of course,
11:32fantastic left-handed pitcher, but we know,
11:34it's a tough award to pick because baseball players,
11:36particularly high-end pitchers, tend to miss time and break down.
11:40And how many years can you go 200-plus innings
11:42and be filthy and dominant?
11:43Now, Tarek Skubal probably can win it.
11:45But my goodness, you look down that board again,
11:47there are some pitching names out there with some huge numbers
11:51that you might want to back, but I just don't see
11:53that star power anymore in the American League pitchers.
11:57I still think there is some.
11:59Shane McClanahan was well on pace to win it two years ago
12:02before injuries sidelined him at 30-to-1.
12:05Garrett Cole is still there at a 12-to-1 number.
12:09Logan Gilbert was filthy last year,
12:12but never got the run support he needed in Seattle.
12:15Robert Crochet was putting up Cy Young numbers,
12:17but played for the White Sox.
12:19Now, as a member of the Red Sox, does he have some juice?
12:24Romer Valdez was great in Houston.
12:27I hear your point, right?
12:28There's not that bona fide ace really outside of Garrett Cole.
12:32I do think there are some really good pitchers here, though,
12:34and some value to be had, especially with the idea
12:37that Skubal should be the favorite,
12:39but he's not necessarily going to win this award
12:41as we have not seen many reigning Cy Young winners
12:44win it for a second consecutive year.
12:47It is interesting to me, DRS, to see Garrett Cole tie
12:50for the fifth-best price at 12-to-1,
12:52almost from the odds perspective.
12:54He always has a short number that sometimes is justified
12:57and other times is not.
12:59He also has a fellow guy at the top of that starting staff
13:02now in New York.
13:04Of course, the Yankees did not re-sign Juan Soto,
13:06but made some big moves elsewhere,
13:08including in their pitching staff.
13:10We talked about Devin Williams, maybe the best reliever
13:13or one of the best relievers in all of MLB.
13:16Max Freed now comes over from Atlanta as well.
13:1920-to-1 number for the lefty now wearing pinstripes.
13:22Yeah, you're right.
13:23And also, how about Emmanuel Closset?
13:25We talk about being the best closer in the business.
13:27200-to-1 to win that Cy Young,
13:29which maybe that's one of those years you can sort of hang on
13:31and say, let me take a flyer at a deep number
13:33with a dominant pitcher because maybe you don't get
13:35that unbelievable front end to the rotation guy
13:37where it's like, hey, this guy's running away
13:40at a 2.10 or let's just say a 1.89 ERA at this point.
13:44So options down the board.
13:46But again, just jarring to see where we just don't have
13:48those true aces at the top of the lineup.
13:51And again, that feeds into it where maybe you can place
13:53down a battle to Carlos Rodon returning back to form
13:55at a 45-to-1 on a very good Yankees team,
13:58just posting statistics.
13:59So chances and opportunities to jump in at good prices.
14:02You might get that this year
14:03at the FanDuel Sportsbook and MLB.
14:05I do think Shane McClanahan, if healthy,
14:07has some value at a 30-to-1 number.
14:10And just should be noted, DRS, 30-to-1 as well
14:13for a fellow American League East hurler.
14:16That would be Grayson Rodriguez, right?
14:18The O's have the second-best price
14:19to win the American League pennant,
14:21but they don't exactly have that bona fide ace
14:23or a great starting staff, one through five.
14:26Grayson Rodriguez, the young star,
14:28is basically their ace now in Baltimore
14:31as Corbin Burns is playing in Arizona.
14:35Any other looks, DRS, throughout the rest of those honors?
14:38Rookie, manager, reliever, comeback, Mike Trout.
14:41I just hope he can stay healthy.
14:43It would be fun to see Mike Trout more often than not.
14:45Yeah, Trout comeback once, a good one,
14:48Klaas obviously a dominant reliever.
14:50Dan Wilson, it's funny, we were bringing this up
14:52and without really going through the Major League Baseball season,
14:54had no idea who was the manager of the Seattle Mariners,
14:56which shows you that type of an award
14:57and that type of star power at managers that you have.
15:00But again, rookie, Jason Dominguez,
15:01that's always going to be up in the air
15:03and always get a kick out of,
15:04hey, he's a rookie, he played Major League Baseball
15:06a few years ago as well.
15:07It's like, it doesn't make sense,
15:08just the way Major League Baseball does it
15:10with the time that they're actually up in the bigs here.
15:12So not really any other good looks at this point,
15:14but maybe there's more looks in the National League
15:16with more superstars at the top of their respective areas, per se.
15:20Much like rookie head coaches
15:22or first-time head coaches in other sports,
15:25especially in the NFL, you still need to have that success.
15:29If Seattle is not a playoff team,
15:31Dan Wilson more than likely not going to win that award.
15:34Alex Cora has the second-best price of plus $4.50.
15:37Last year, the winner of the American League Manager of the Year
15:40was Steven Vogt in Cleveland
15:42because the Guardians won 92 games
15:44and won the American League Central.
15:46So all these things to keep in mind.
15:49Also, just to look at the reliever of the year,
15:52Emmanuel Clauset.
15:53Again, voter fatigue perhaps has won the award twice
15:56in the last three MLB seasons.
15:58The guy that is directly behind him, only a buck back,
16:01Mason Miller, for Eeyore.
16:04Not Oakland, not Sacramento.
16:06You're the athletics.
16:08Josh Hader at a 5-1 number.
16:10His former teammate in Milwaukee, Devin Williams,
16:13now in New York, a 5-1 price as well.
16:16We'll flip our attention over to the National League
16:19on the other side.
16:21Can anybody take the award from Shohei Otani
16:24if he is also on the bump this year in Los Angeles?
16:29We'll talk about the NL MVP odds entering 2025 up next.
16:33The National League MVP odds entering 2025.
16:38For most of last year, did Shohei Otani win it last year?
16:41He did, right?
16:42Never mind.
16:43Don't even take that back.
16:44Shohei Otani won NL MVP a season ago.
16:48It wasn't even a starting pitcher for the L.A. Dodgers.
16:52Shohei Otani, who has won multiple MVP awards,
16:55three-time MVP winner,
16:57including a back-to-back in 2023 in the AL,
17:01in 2024 in the NL,
17:04is booked as your National League MVP favorite
17:07at plus 155.
17:10The R.S. outset.
17:13What do you got?
17:16What happened?
17:17What happened?
17:22Hey, all right.
17:23So, hey, look, I'm in this band.
17:25Just quit the show at this point.
17:26No big deal.
17:27MVP odds.
17:28Maybe he's upset about Shohei Otani's plus 155 price.
17:31But let's get to the crux of the argument here.
17:33Plus 155, right?
17:36Plus 155 for Shohei Otani.
17:38All you're doing right now is betting in that market
17:41that Shohei Otani is going to stay active for the season.
17:44That's it.
17:45That's all the bet is.
17:46If Shohei Otani plays,
17:47and he pitches somewhat average to what we know he can do,
17:50and does his average at the plate,
17:52he is going to win the MVP
17:54because nobody else can do what he can do, Ben.
17:57Period.
17:58The R.S., you took the words right out of my mouth,
18:01even as I was frozen,
18:02probably looking something like that for just a second.
18:07My question was going to be,
18:08outside of an injury,
18:10if Shohei Otani even starts 10 games on the mound this year,
18:14can anything keep him from winning the award termed
18:17most valuable player?
18:19More than likely not.
18:20It feels like a cheat code because it is a cheat code
18:23in Major League Baseball.
18:25It is a cheat code, and rightfully so,
18:27because MVP is most valuable player,
18:29a guy that can pitch and hit.
18:30And it's not like the guys are saying,
18:31hey, you know what?
18:32They're going to give me the six inning long relief
18:34when we're down eight runs.
18:36I'm that type of pitcher.
18:37No, you are arguably one of the best pitchers in the sport.
18:40And then we go, well, what can he do with the play?
18:42Oh no, he's the best hitter in the sport.
18:44And you say, well, okay.
18:45So he pitches at an elite level and he hits at elite level.
18:48Like honestly, like Shohei Otani next year,
18:51let's just say 275 at the plate, 30 home runs,
18:5588 RBI and on the mound, 10 and seven with an ERA of three, five.
19:00He's the MVP.
19:02Like that's not a sensational pitching year.
19:04It's not a sensational hitting year,
19:06but it's the same guy doing that here.
19:08So that's what,
19:09when I look at that price, as I was explaining the plus one 55,
19:12you're just betting that Otani is healthy for the season and doesn't miss
19:1660 games.
19:17Yeah.
19:18Which is really what it comes down to DRS.
19:20Will there be a time when voters around the big say to themselves, listen,
19:24we have set your standard for you.
19:26Here's how good you have to be on the mound and at the dish.
19:29It can't just be the fact that you are doing both pretty well,
19:32but he's been great in both.
19:34You know, I don't know.
19:35That's where it really gets difficult to argue that that kind of person who
19:39was going out there and starting and winning games and striking out people
19:42and also hitting a bunch of home runs in batting in a ton of players for
19:46baseball's best team is not going to be considered the most valuable player
19:51in the national league.
19:52Of course,
19:53there is a thought that if Shohei Otani is injured or does not live up to
19:58even our otherworldly expectations could want Soto when the first MVP
20:03award of his career,
20:05plus five 50 price DRS with a ton of pressure and expectation now up in
20:10Queens.
20:11He could,
20:12of course he could,
20:13because he's that good of a player and maybe some of the statistics won't
20:16wow you right off the bat because he goes from last year in one of the
20:19better hitting divisions with ballparks to maybe a little bit tougher here
20:22because you take a look at Yankee stadium compared to city field.
20:24It's night and day for the batter there.
20:26And that's going to take some of those power numbers away from Monsoto,
20:29but he is going to get on the base because why he walks more than anybody
20:32to set the table.
20:33And also if you're an opposing pitcher,
20:35you don't want to really throw him too much.
20:37If he takes the walk,
20:38you live to fight another day with the guy behind him or certainly the guy
20:40in front of him trying to challenge him extra.
20:42So there's a chance,
20:43but I'm not that excited to be like,
20:44you know,
20:45Juan Soto is my guy for some of the reasons that I said,
20:47but when you start to move down the list,
20:48like yeah,
20:49Mookie bets,
20:50some of the shine is going to get taken away because Otani is on the same
20:52team,
20:53but guys like Ellie Dela Cruz at 30 to one,
20:55like you want to talk about a breakout season.
20:56The guy can steal a hundred bases and hit with our,
21:00one of those breakout type seasons where it's like we saw the glimpse of it
21:03last year.
21:04Now,
21:05if he can just get a little bit more,
21:06I don't want to say like,
21:07like confident at the plate and not swinging outside the zone so much and
21:10just be a more average based hitter to get on base and sort of steal those
21:14bases.
21:15Yeah.
21:16That's one of those guys you might look at a 30 to one to be a real fun
21:17player this year.
21:18So DRS,
21:19that was going to be my next question to you,
21:21understanding what we have broken down for Shohei Otani,
21:24knowing all of the notoriety and attention that will be on Juan Soto.
21:28If Otani were to stumble in this odds list at all,
21:31is it worth it to bet on any other guy?
21:34We'll continue that value conversation around the national and national league
21:39MVP odds,
21:40and also talk a very,
21:41very,
21:42very short favorite for the NL Cy Young award as well.
21:46That would be a certain bucko known as Paul Skeen.
21:49Plenty more on the early line.
21:51One final look at the national league MVP odds entering the 2025 major league
21:56baseball season.
21:57As Donnie and I have tried to lay out,
21:59if Shohei Otani pitches and hits this year,
22:03it is going to be very,
22:04very difficult outside of injury for Shohei Otani,
22:07not to win this award.
22:09An award that in the American league,
22:11he's won twice in his first year in the NL in LA last year,
22:14one as well.
22:16The 2023 nationally MVP winner,
22:19Ronald Acuna jr.
22:20A 33 to one price for turning from injury this season.
22:24We have talked about the expectation and the burden of all of that on Juan
22:28Soto.
22:29If he excels in the Mets are fantastic.
22:31He is certainly going to be in the MVP conversation,
22:34but outside of those top two guys,
22:36Donnie,
22:37and maybe even Fernando Tatis Jr.,
22:39but we can lump him in to this bigger picture conversation,
22:42knowing what Shohei Otani is,
22:44knowing what we expect and knowing he is more than likely going to match those
22:49expectations.
22:51Is it then worth it to wager on anybody else?
22:55Is it worth it to wager on Otani's price at a plus one 55 number right here
23:00right now?
23:01Basically,
23:02how do you bet the NL MVP odds,
23:04if at all?
23:05Yeah,
23:06it's hard to do because again,
23:07you're taking the premonition of,
23:08Hey,
23:09I would like to bet Otani plus one 55.
23:10Well,
23:11that money is tied up again,
23:12eight,
23:13nine months at a plus one 55 price.
23:15So do you want to use that or use your money wisely and say,
23:17I can double and triple that quadruple,
23:19that hundred dollar one unit,
23:20two units,
23:21whatever I put down on it.
23:22But if you do feel it's like,
23:23you know what?
23:24I have enough money in my bank account bank.
23:25Well,
23:26let me fire that away.
23:27That's a no brainer.
23:28Then go ahead and take it.
23:29But way too many things can happen.
23:30Injuries can take place for that price point.
23:31It's just not worth it for me.
23:32So you start to slide that needle down a little bit.
23:34Juan Soto for Nintendo to tease,
23:36but also Tucker up there with the Cubs is really interesting.
23:39That's a hitter's ballpark.
23:40I think they could probably win that division.
23:42So we'll get the bump,
23:43but then right behind them,
23:44you do see Bryce Harper healthy entering into this season this year with a
23:47powerful lineup around them,
23:48that maybe you're going to stack that deck a little bit more by moving
23:51Schwarbrad out of the leadoff spot,
23:52back to the three hole,
23:53more chances for opportunities with RBI and being healthy on a season in a
23:57very hittable ballpark for the Philly.
23:59So there are a lot of options,
24:00but as I told you before,
24:01the L.A.
24:02Dela Cruz one really sticks out a lot because that's the guy that can put
24:05up statistics that are like,
24:06wow,
24:07these are some things we haven't seen in a long time.
24:09Cause we see a Bryce Harper,
24:10it's 40 home runs,
24:11115,
24:12120 RBI.
24:13You get that.
24:14And you slap a guy up there with over a hundred stolen bases with power and
24:17average.
24:18Yeah.
24:19That's pretty fun.
24:20Yeah.
24:21DRS.
24:22It's such a good point,
24:23right?
24:24Because there is voter fatigue.
24:25There is the idea of matching expectation,
24:27almost competing against your own individual stats from a year prior.
24:31And that will factor into the show.
24:33Hey,
24:34Otani conversation,
24:35but it's very different when it's like,
24:36Hey,
24:37you hit 45 home runs and had 125 RBIs last year.
24:39You have to do that.
24:40If you're going to win the MVP again.
24:42And then when you say,
24:43Hey,
24:44you pitched and you hit throughout a variety and multiple games and a
24:48majority of them this year,
24:49very different kind of scopes and conversations there.
24:53So if you are going to unseat that Apple card and not show,
24:56Hey,
24:57Otani off his perch of MVP honors,
24:59you have to make history.
25:01Ronald Acuna jr.
25:02Did that winning the award in 2023,
25:04first ever 40,
25:0570 season,
25:0640 home runs,
25:0770 stolen bases in the history of major league baseball.
25:11Ellie Della Cruz,
25:12certainly a candidate to kind of match.
25:14Some of those type of historic numbers has the skill set to do just
25:18that.
25:19Donnie,
25:20very short favorite,
25:21of course,
25:22to win an LMP that show.
25:23Hey,
25:24Otani,
25:25very short favorite to win national league Cy Young award.
25:27That's Paul skeins entering year.
25:28Number two of his major league baseball career,
25:31a two to one price.
25:32He is a third of everybody else around the national league.
25:37And then some last year's rating.
25:39National league Cy Young winner on your screen right there.
25:42Chris sale in Atlanta,
25:43a 13 to one price sandwich in between Zach Wheeler in Philly,
25:47Blake's now plus eight 50.
25:49Now with the Dodgers is skeins getting a tad too much respect.
25:54Is his number a little bit too short to win Cy Young?
25:58I don't think so.
26:00Like you saw how electric it was last year.
26:02So the expectation is coming back,
26:03maybe even a little bit bigger and a little bit stronger and understand
26:06how to pitch a major league baseball.
26:07And that's going to be a fun season.
26:08But again,
26:09it's a power pitcher.
26:10It's a two to one price injuries do happen.
26:13You want to tie that money up here?
26:14But as I talked about the American league,
26:16like,
26:17Hey man,
26:18where'd all the superstars go?
26:19Yeah.
26:20They all found themselves in the national league skeins,
26:21Wheeler,
26:22Snell,
26:23sale,
26:24Burns,
26:25Yamamoto,
26:26King sees gallon glass.
26:27Now,
26:28like you're going to Spencer Strider.
26:29He's coming back to share at a 30 to one.
26:30If he was never injured,
26:31he's probably a minted,
26:32maybe Cy Young from even last year alone at this point.
26:34And even sort of sliding it down,
26:35like the sunny grays and the hunter greens,
26:37a lot of power pitchers here on there.
26:39But if you are saying Donnie plus 100 prices across the board,
26:42who do you think is going to win the side?
26:43Young?
26:44Why wouldn't it be Paul skeins?
26:45Like every time that you expect eight,
26:47nine,
26:4810,
26:4911,
26:5012 strikeouts plus.
26:51And also he is a younger pitcher.
26:52So when you look at maybe a Zach Wheeler,
26:54who is phenomenal by every stretch,
26:56maybe the best free agent signing,
26:57which includes Bryce Harper in the history of Phillies baseball,
27:00he's been nothing short of sensational,
27:02but he is getting a little bit older as well.
27:04Blake's now,
27:05how's he going to hold up being a Dodger?
27:06Because quite frankly is Blake's.
27:08Now you're going to lose a baseball game.
27:09It feels like we're South town today.
27:10Snell's on the mound today with a full line up behind him.
27:12How does he lose any games,
27:14particularly being in a pitcher's ballpark in Los Angeles,
27:17which also means that pitchers ballpark up in San Francisco,
27:20we're going to play so many of your games there this year,
27:22both home and away.
27:23There are a lot of different,
27:25the one guy I'm not going to take to be honest is Chris sale.
27:27I don't want to say it was a lightning in a bottle season where he
27:29caught some of that flashback for five years ago,
27:31when he was more dominant pitchers in baseball.
27:33But if there's one guy I'm not betting,
27:35let's just say in the 10th,
27:36first 10 spots here on the fan blue sports book,
27:38it's not going to be Chris sale again,
27:40to be honest.
27:41Yeah.
27:42Hoping a reigning NL MVP or NL side young winner wins it for a
27:45second consecutive year is a little bit difficult,
27:47Donnie.
27:48You said most of those bonafide aces,
27:50where do they end up the national league?
27:52Well,
27:53you could also say the national league west seven of those 10 best
27:56numbers from that one division,
27:58three Dodgers.
27:59As you have plates now,
28:00Yoshi Yamamoto and Tyler glass.
28:02Now two D backs,
28:04Corbin burns now in Arizona.
28:06And of course,
28:07Zach gallon,
28:08two Padres,
28:09Michael King and Dylan sees only one guy from the NL central on this
28:14list.
28:15He is the favorite.
28:16That is Paul skein.
28:18Spencer Strider should be noted was a very short favorite to win NL
28:21side young entering last year before he got injured.
28:25If he is fully healthy at a 30 to one number,
28:28does also make some sense just off that board,
28:31because there's a couple of guys at a 30 to one price,
28:35but here is why Paul skeins is such a short favorite.
28:39And as Donnie alluded to potentially justified in his rookie campaign,
28:4423 starts in 11 and three record,
28:47a one nine six era,
28:49133 innings,
28:51pitched a hundred and 70 strikeouts.
28:56That is 11 and a half K's per nine innings.
29:00It is ridiculous.
29:01Stuff is the book out on him.
29:03Well,
29:04batters have a better approach against schemes this year.
29:07Maybe still expect him to win those matchups.
29:10And as we shared,
29:11he's the NL side young favorite with a very short number at a two to
29:15one price.
29:16Also a 55 to one number to a national league MVP,
29:20209 and a half.
29:22His strikeouts prop,
29:24certainly on his per nine rate could easily mow that down.
29:28If he is healthy in the pirates are fully in it all year long,
29:33plus three 50 to be that strikeout leader in major league baseball,
29:36275 strikeouts in eight to one price.
29:41That is the expectation.
29:43That is what we think Paul skeins will deliver this year.
29:46And if Donnie,
29:47he gets even close to some of those numbers,
29:49he's winning nationally exciting award.
29:51Yes.
29:52And you have to remember last year,
29:53like we were a numbers society,
29:55even though we like to see the averages,
29:57like, Hey,
29:58he ran for six yards per carry,
29:59but then we say,
30:00well,
30:01what do you end up with the season?
30:02900 yards on the ground where another guy had 1900 yards on the
30:04ground,
30:05but ran for 3.2 yards per carry.
30:06The reason I bring that up is sometimes you look at schemes last
30:08year,
30:09we didn't have a full season from them.
30:10We're going to have a full season.
30:11So those numbers that you take a look at the strikeouts rack up,
30:14because as you said,
30:1511,
30:1612 strikeouts a game is awesome.
30:17Let me see you do that from April all the way through to September.
30:20And like,
30:21look at how many he compiled as opposed to coming up,
30:23let's just say midway through the season.
30:25So I do think he knows he's not a,
30:27obviously flash in a pan is not the right word,
30:29but certainly a,
30:30you know,
30:31comment last year per se hitting the major league baseball scene.
30:33But now you're going to get to see him for a full season.
30:35If he can be that dominant,
30:37those numbers are going to be astronomical and so much fun to watch.
30:39So for me,
30:40the 275 plus strikeouts is a crazy statistic,
30:43but an 81 price.
30:45You're like,
30:46if there's one guy that can do it,
30:47Hey man,
30:48Paul scheme.
30:49If he does this thing,
30:50sustain that and he is healthy.
30:52And maybe even the pirates are flirting with a playoff spot.
30:56You would think that that is going to be attainable for Paul schemes,
31:00rookie Sasaki,
31:01the other Dodger,
31:02by the way,
31:03the favorite to win national league rookie of the year.