It's time to place your bets right coming down, let's talk to the pros one. Welcome to everybody to betting pros. It's me Joey p Joe Pizza for you. We got a great show for you today as always. Yes, we're past the halfway part of the Major League Baseball season. Yes, so the home run Derby is in the rear view, so is the All Star Game. But there have been a lot of injuries to talk about here that really are going to affect not only futures of players, but
futures of teams. And there's nobody better to get the inside information than a real Major League Baseball insider. He is my former co host of Fantasy Sports Today and the current co host there at Sports Grid as well. And not only that, he also covers the Marlins everything going on with them. He's the one, the only Craig Mish. Mish Welcome to the show, my friend. It's been too long and here we are talking little baseball today. It's good to see your face.
It is great to see you, Joe. Hope you and your family are well. Thanks for the invitation.
By the way, Yeah, well you know we're gonna be doing some Football and Sports Grid together every Sunday, and I figured, you know what, I haven't talked to Miss in a few weeks here months. Maybe it's time to make sure we dust off the old brand, which is Joey P and Craignish, which you can't kill. I mean, really share man, it is. It is stunning. You know, we're coming up on a decade. I don't know what you're gonna get me for the ten year anniversary.
But I know the nice you know, it's funny. It's funny that you bring that up because we were talking about you the other day on the show. We were on the air and something came up. I think it was Space Jam. I want to say, I don't know what it was, but I said, if Joe Piece of P was on this show, this is what he would say about Space Jam. I'm not gonna watch it now,
but I promise you eventually I will. It may not be today, it may not be tomorrow, but I guarantee you eventually, and then and then I and I will ask Joe about this weekly. He still will not watch it, he does not have the time, but eventually he will and he will give a fair review on it at his pace.
Well, I got a show for you when baseball is over and you get some more time. We're not traveling anymore or do anything. The Boys. Have you watched The Boys? I don't know, Amazon Prime. Let the Superheroes are kind of the bad guys. So The Heroes is like the anti hero kind of thing going on. It is amazing. It is one of the most clever, dark, funny shows I've ever seen, turns all that superhero stuff on its ear and it is really well acted. So there you go.
So you got a little shows, you get that, you get a little everything here. But let's talk here with Craig Mitch because the Jacob de Gram injury in the National League has really changed the dynamic of what's going on all of a sudden. Now the MVP odds have come down from all the places here over I'm betting pros and you can't wager on that, can't wager on this young right now. And I'm curious to ask you this, Craig, because you have the Acunya injury just a few weeks
ago to which changed the dynamic of that race. Tatist kind of was the guy that I thought people should be on, but now it's just Jacob de gram injury. If da Grom comes back healthy, what do you think that line's going to look like in anticipation? Is this the last time also to get in and tatus or maybe is there a third guy like Juan Sota who's getting red hot, who could finish and maybe carry the now single handedly to the playoffs. What's your thoughts about
the National League right now? MVP race the way.
It stands, Yeah, look, I mean at this point you can make a case for a lot of different players for the MVP. It was interesting that two weeks ago, if you would have asked this question, you would have said the Grama's got the cy Young and the MVP locked up. I still think he's got a great shot at the Cy Young Award, especially if he only misses two or three starts. But I think that as you look around the league and you look at some of the teams in the National League, it's unfortunate, but no
one really sticks out. Milwaukee has kind of had a great pitching season, but their hitting has sort of been ah so far. You can't throw Christian Yelich into that category, and certainly they've gotten enough done to be where there are, but I don't see an MVP on that team. The Los Angeles Dodgers, Joe are just so well rounded that you could name five or six guys on that club and say, hey, I mean they have MVP type numbers.
But with that takeaway from the others. So of course you mentioned the key name, and that is Fernando Tattis, junior on the San Diego Padres, and I think that, look, you still have an opportunity, whatever his odds are at this point, whenever they get reposted, to take advantage of that. The Giants, I mean, look, Buster Posey, by the way, is making the case for an MVP season. I mean, he's not gonna win, probably, but my gosh, this guy just was on the injured list. He comes right back,
hits a home run in his first game back. The Giants are having a great season as well. You mentioned Sodo the Nationals first half MVP to stay in. It was Schwarber. It was not Sodo. So I'm curious when Schwarber comes back next week or the week after, how that will affect Soda. Will it make him better? Will it put more light on Schwarber at this point? But look, you can make the case that if Sodo goes on
in absolute tear, he potentially could win it. Put Joe, I don't see the Nationals winning the division, and usually they try to give the MVP to a player that's on a winning team. Mike Trout may have something else to say about that over the last decade, but I think in this case, Tatis is the name that you mentioned, and it would really seem to me that if they make the postseason that he would be the favorite.
And he's got the narrative to playing through the season with that shoulder injury too. He also had a COVID test earlier in the year to miss some time there. So I think he's just had a brilliant season. To me, that was the guy you know when you look at the MV. Excuse me the Cy Young race though, now too, with Jacob de Gram on pause, is it time to
start after now? This is not the first time, the second time, this is the third time Jacob de Grom has experienced some issues here with different parts of the arm right, is it time to start kicking the tires on Brandon Woodruff or Corbyn Burns or maybe even a Kevin Gosman we mentioned the Giants and Buster Post, and we kind of forget about the Giants quite a bit. I know this past week wasn't the best start for Kevin Gosman that he's had this year, but still Gossman's
been spectacular from a number standpoint. Is it worth throwing any long shot money in any of those guys?
Yeah, I mean, look, they shouldn't really be long shots honestly at this point. Burns was the one that I liked going into the season, and then unfortunately he had the COVID at the at the beginning of the season that kind of shut him down. He and Burns have really close numbers in terms of their stats the course of the season, so it could be either of those guys going on a run. That's how Jake Arietta won
the Cy Young Award a couple of years ago. His first half was okay, his second half was unbelievable and he just pushed his way all the way to the Cy Young. But yes, Kevin Gossman, unfortunately for me, that is the name of the guy that has has had a fantastic season. He plays on a really good team. He could potentially carry them to the best record in
the entire Major League Baseball. So yeah, Joe, I definitely think that's him a very deep dart throw at this point, if you have a player that saves forty games at a forty tries in his first forty tries, I think you at least have to have him in the conversation in Alex Reyes. I don't think he's gonna win the Cy Young Award, But you're talking about somebody that is on pace to do, somebody something that no one else has in the history of baseball, which is from your
first save to the end, not blow one. And I just at least want to mention that because if things go and a couple of the other names that you mentioned go down, maybe that's part of the conversation. But I don't see him winning a deep dark throw there.
All right, let's talk about the American League here for a second and show Hey, Tani, you know, I gotta tell you I learned from my good pal Craig Mish from doing show after show with him. He said, just get the guy you want before you think it's gonna get away from you, and don't go betting a million things. Just go find the thing that you think you believe in and then watch it and then get in before you think it's going to get away. And I did. I got in on show hal Tan and be very
proud of me. But nice fat bet there at six point fifty for the MVP odds now he is at minus three sixty and the plus side of that, so that is way gone. Yeah, here's my question to you, is this it's over? We all think it's over. If there's a scenario where shoe Aotani, let's say, injury did happen like all of a sudden, we have injury to Ronald Cooney and all of a sudden that changes the dynamic. Has Otani already done enough that it doesn't matter? But
or is Vlad's possibility of winning a triple crown? Does that really kind of match up at all? I keep saying, no, it doesn't matter because Otani's already built up so much equity with the pitching side. Do you think that Vlad can do anything to get this award back on his side?
Well, I mean, let's be fair. If Otani decided to leave the United States today and go back to Japan and never play again, he would not win the MVP somebody else would win it, But that's the kind of extraordinary circumstance that I think that it would require. I would say, I'm looking at the calendar the twentieth of July.
I think if Otani just makes two more weeks or three more weeks, I don't think it'll matter, but not quite yet because vladd is having an unbelievable season, but a triple crown or not Otani that was the right call. I think you and I talked about betting Otani last year before the season. Winning the MVP is just it had to happen at some point, even if he was
just decent, they had to give him the MVP. I think the bigger story, Joe is that for the next ten years, if Shohei Otani is just does eighty percent of what he's doing now, not great, but just good, how do they not give him the MVP? Like this is what they're setting themselves up for for the next decade.
So it's gonna be really interesting moving forward because somebody could have an unbelievable year and Otani just kind of does what he does, and then what are you just not going to give him the MVP the next year? So fascinating moving forward. But you got Otani this year for sure.
Yeah, And of course the regret is not getting it at twenty to one. But I think part of it is when you look at those numbers in the preseason, you like things and you go, yeah, but he's gotta hit a certain number of innings first, Like it's got to get to a point where you start to believe the narrative of the two way player, that it's not
a gimmick, that it's a reality. And I feel like we got to a point where it's actually the reality with Otani, and then you started to see it go from twenty to fifteen to ten, and it kept going and going, and I said, all right, I can't wait anymore for this. But it stinks for Vlad because Vlats is having a transcendent breakout year that we've all been waiting for. The race that's kind of close in the
American League, though, is not the MVP. It's the Saw Young Because you got lanceln at plus four hundred on betting pros that's a consensus number. You got carls renon plus two hundred, and of course Garrett Cole at the top at minus one thirty four, he is still the prohibit favorite, and with the Yankee struggles, do you think he should still be the prohibitive favorite. I know, Rodonn's kind of came out of nowhere and that's been a
great story. And maybe if it weren't for Trey Mancini, maybe Comeback Player of the Year would be his award. But I think that one might be locked up for Trey. But what about Lance Linn. I keep kind of pounding the table for this guy because I feel like he doesn't get a lot of respect. The White Sox just extended him two more years. Do you see any value there putting plus four hundred over on lanceln for the sy in in the American League?
Yeah, not really, not really. I think he profiles as a very good pitcher that it probably does not get the respect that he deserves because he's one of the few guys that gets very deep into the games. But Rodonna has the No hitter behind him, and I think that if it came down to those two, I think Rodnan would end up winning the cy Young. Look, We're
gonna have to see what happens with Garrett Cole. It was a rocky first couple of starts after the non sticky stuff, but then even in the rain, he pitched really well last time out. So my guess is that it's gonna be between Cole and Rodin. And of course we still have seventy games to play, so anybody could jump into the mix at this point. But those are the names. I think that you nailed all the names that are possible.
Now with those seventy games left to play, Let's talk a little bit of win totals here. Let's start with those Yankees where at ninety five and a half minus won twelve on the under on the over minus one ten. Your feelings on the Yankees right now and that number ninety five and a half, I know you know that injury to Tyra Glass now really change the dynamic. What the Rays look like without that true ace every fifth day.
I think they're a very different team. Boston's played very well, the Toronto Blue Jays like they are going to be an up and coming team here in these last seventy games to deal with and contend with. And let's be honest, I mean, the Yankees have not played up to their abilities. So when you're looking at this team right now, do you think ninety five and a half. They are going to come close to that number this year, And do they have a run in them the way they're currently constituted.
Yeah, I don't think that they'll hit the ninety five. But the other part of this, too is that the better conversation is to do this on August first, because you just don't know which direction the Yankees are going to go and what they would add and how much that could add to what they have. So on paper, no, I don't think that they I don't think they win ninety games right now. But truthfully, Joe, the market is not going to dictate the outcome of this until the
trade deadline comes and goes on the thirtieth. We really didn't have a genuine trade deadline last year. We played thirty days of baseball a trade deadline, and then go and run toward the rest of the season. This is going to be very different this year. Other thing that I would say is, unlike previous years, you're in a better position to know which teams are going to get better from both a reality and wagering standpoint than you ever have, Joe. We can actually identify the teams that
are out this year, it's pretty easy to do. Usually everyone complains we don't know who's in and who's out. I think you do. I mean, you know who the teams of the National League pretty much are. The three teams of the National League West are going to get in. Cincinnati has fallen back, you could throw a dart them, but Milwaukee's the Central winner. And then look, the East is definitely a wreck and that's up for grabs. But you pretty much know everyone in the NL. You know
the Astros are in in the AL. Boston would have to completely fall flat. I mean, you probably know that the good teams are gonna get better and the bad teams are gonna get worse.
So where the Yankees are a buyer or seller?
You think they always are buyers. They're never seller, So they'll buy something. I just don't know how far they'll go.
All right, let's talk about the Astros since you mentioned them to eighty seven and a half. Is that number here minus one eighteen on the over, minus one ten on the under on consensus line at betting pros. So do you think with this Astros team lately? You've seen Lance mccullor's pitch very well. Garcia They've gotten a lot for Amber Valdez came back and was a house on fire and then kind of cooled off recently, maybe a
little dead arm. I'm not sure what's going on there, but look, this team scores a ton of runs and they have a lot of depth. When they have guys like Christian Javier, they could throw in there if they have to into a rotation spot. Do you think the Astros run away with this division? You think eighty seven and a half is going to be their thing? Or do you think the A's are going to stay there all the way to the bitter end? With them?
I think Houston will be a team that adds at the deadline, and I think that they are well positioned to even win the American League Pennant. So if I had to go one way or the other on them, it would be over the eighty seven. Remember, they're going to get a lot of games against Texas down the stretch. That's going to be pretty easy for them. The Rangers have looked horrible virtually from the start of the season, So Houston, some people feel like they have overachieved. I
really don't think so. I feel like the talent has always been there. They just haven't all put it together since they won that World Series a couple of years ago. But it seems like the mental stuff is gone. They're going to get Alex Pregman back, They're gonna get Carlos Korea back. You mentioned the pitching. They're probably another starter away from getting over the top. But look, I mean, they're saying that Justin Verlander is not going to pitch
this season. They're saying that, but talk to me on September first to see if that is really the case. And by the way, we haven't heard anything from him in a lot of PEP.
I was gonna ask, you know, we've really you haven't heard, and usually there's some kind of well he's he's doing baseball activities, which I'm not even sure at this point what that is. I'm sure you can actually answer that question what baseball activities really mean. I don't know if that means like you're just playing RBI baseball Nintendo. I don't know if you just like trading baseball cars. But
baseball activities, that's what we've got. Let's talk about the West of the National League, because you said three teams are gonna come out into the playoffs from there, ninety four and a half is the number for the Padres minus one twelve on the over, minus one ten on the under. For the Dodgers. That number is one oh two and a half, and that is minus one to eighteen minus one ten, so one oh two and a half for the Dodgers. For the Padres side, you got
ninety four and a half. Any feelings one way or another about these two teams because the Dodgers clearly right now with the Bower issues going on with playt Kershaw's injury, we have Gavin Luck sitting the DL, and obviously we still have some questions regarding Mookie Bett's health too, which is not great. Bellinger has been terrible. Some no wonder a little bit. I know they keep winning games, but a little concerned with the Dodgers and the Padres feel
like the opposite, even though they've had their hurdles. It feels to me like the Padres, you and I have said it, they're all in. They've got the goods in the minor league system to make a huge acquisition, be at a Barrios, be it a big time pitcher like that, maybe you could bring in and really change the dynamic of this rotation. Do you think ninety four and a half and the total for the Dodgers world two and
a half is within their reach there? Do you like the over under if you had a lean on either.
Yeah, Well, with the Dodgers, it's the kind of thing where I still go back to the beginning of the season when I see a total of one hundred or over. There's just so much variance, Joe. In the last two weeks of the season. The Dodgers clearly are not playing for September. They're playing to win at all. We don't know how injured Clayton Kershaw is, Joe. There's a chance if they needed him the pitch, could he tomorrow maybe? But do they need him right now?
No?
And they've shown a propensity to just throw their guys on the injured list and let them sit for weeks. Bellinger has been out, Speaker's been out, Bets has been out, They've all been out, and they simply don't care. They just need to get themselves into a position at the end of September to fight with the Padres and fight with the Giants. So no real lean for me on the Dodgers, because I could honestly see them with ninety nine wins going into the last week of the season,
winging them all or losing them all. Don't and I don't think that it will matter. I even think that they're okay with the wild card. I don't even think they care about the pas all that much. I lean under on the Padres, really under on the Padres too fast, you know. I think that everything has gone very well for them. I think that from a betting perspective, you got to be really careful about just buying into buzz
and buying into excitement. And yes, the crowds are going crazy, and yes they're hitting Grand Slams, and yes, that's all fun. But do they have enough pitching?
Like have we seen right now? No, I don't think.
Yeah, I don't think they do, and I'm not sure they will. So they've they've made a huge, you know, motion in the off season to add everything that they did in terms of pitching, and to be quite honest with you, I still don't think it's enough. Like Snell has not looked right you Darvish. Now we'll see. I mean he's coming off the injury list now, so that's gonna be a big key for them. Of course, Clevenger has been out for the year. Since the beginning of
the year, Danelson Lamed's been on and off. The bullpen's been okay. So for me, I think the Padres are gonna get in. But I'm starting to think that the Giants are the better team. And I did not think I'd be saying that, But the Giants look very good at this point, and that's another club that all of a sudden is gonna be going for it here.
I gotta say, I'm trying my best to start to believe in the Giants, but then I start reminding myself, well, second half buster posey.
You know it's true.
Does he went down? He's a catcher. Looking at the rest of these pitchers, the Alex Woods, and are they gonna stay healthy? Desko Finie gonna get enough from them? I don't know. Gosman's been great, and I do believe in Gosman, But does Alex Dickerson in the middle of that order, really, you know, screamed terrifying lineup protection.
I guess that's true, that's true. But let me ask you this, did you think that the Giants were gonna win all those World Series with the squads that they had back then when they did that too.
No, he had that one pitcher, and I don't know if Gosman could be what Bumgarner was, a guy who could pitch, you know, every two hours.
It's fair, it's a fair assessment. But the thing with the Giants is that I would say that like the Contrarian too, that is that they're getting better now. It's not even like you could say, well, Craig, they've played five hundred baseball over the last month and it doesn't seem to be going very well, and they kind of got off to that great start. Like they're getting better, they're pulling away from teams. So at some point soon I think we have to start recognizing that they're just
a good team. And who had Gabe Kapler winning manager of the Year.
I don't think I had that on my Bengo card I got a check. Nope, did not have that one at all. Let's talk about the East since you mentioned them in the National League, because again de grom Lindor, you know, this is why he's a Mets fan. You can't have nice things. I always preface and you know, self loathing. This is why we are because the minute you start to feel good about something, you know you're
looking forward to it. You come back from the All Star Break, Pi Alonso wins the home run derby, you're thinking, look, baseball's fun again. De gram is great. He's not even pitching the All Star Game because he cares so much about the team winning and all this blah blah blah, and to back here we are. Everybody's hurt again. This is tough. The number for the Mets ninety and a half minus one eighteen, minus one ten on the over, minus one eighteen on the under. So ninety and a
half is that number for the Mets. The Mets continue to find ways to win games, yesterday being another bizarre one, A strange game in Cincinnati to say the least. I guess here's my question to you, Acunya out the Braves missing a ton of pieces, including now Ian Anderson on the aisle the Phillies. I don't know that bullpen's still trash. I think we could agree on that. Still looking at the rest of that rotation and have a lot of question marks the Nationals kicking around. Do you think that
this is locked up? Is it the Mets and is ninety and a half the number. Can they sustain all these other injuries? Can they get Carrasco back? Can they just continue to pull rabbits out of their hat and hit this ninety nine and a half.
Okay, So I look, we unfortunately, we can eliminate Miami. It's just they've they have not had aura you even ask you, they have. We got to eliminate Miami from it. My heart hurts, but that's just the true. I'm going to eliminate Washington from the conversation.
I just I don't think thebourg recent setback.
Look, they went on. They went on a three week run with the hottest player I may have ever seen in Kyle Schwarber, and that was their whole season. They're under five hundred. So let me ask you this, Okay, the Braves, the Braves, I'm in agreement with you there. I think too many injuries. I think they're trying to stay in it. I don't think that they will. I agree with you. You can't lose a guy like Akunya. Smiley has not been really great for them all season.
Their acquisitions haven't worked out. Ozuna, you know, going off the deep end this year. All those things happen, I'll eliminate Atlanta from the conversation as well. So I would ask you this, Joe, Dave don Browski is the general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, who has all who has been in this seat many times, with the Marlins, with the Tigers, with the Red Sox World Series. On all those three teams, I'm not saying the Phillies have a
World Series seat. Do you think that on July thirty at Dave Don Browski is not going to go out and get some crazy to help them. If I told you that the Phillies got Craig Kimberl on July thirtieth and he was their closer, I think you, Joe would feel differently about the Phillies at that point, or any other closing by it, you would say, wow, okay, well, now maybe they have a guy to close out the Knife now. Anybody who they've gotten in the past has
not worked out. It doesn't matter who the name is. Brandon Workman was phenomenal last year in the first half. He goes to Philadelphia can't pitch anymore. I'm not going to rule Philadelphia is a little bit of a strange team. They definitely have an odd clubhouse. It doesn't always seem to fit. But talent wise, you put Philadelphia's lineup against the Mets, it's there. You put their pitching, Philadelphia's pitching against the Mets when they're right Wheeler and Nola, it
is there. They don't have the bullpen pieces, but this is a close enough. These two teams are close enough within the division that when they play each other, I think it's going to get decided. So for me, I still think the Mets have a good shot, but I will not rule out Philadelphia. I think that's the team that could catch them.
You know what I mean, You certainly make a good case if Zach Wheeler especially can continue to pitch the way he has this year. No one's been erratic, that's the tough thing about. The only guy more erratic is Blake Snell. We just talked about what the padres. I mean, you look at those home road splits. He's got an era at home under two and on the road it's ten. I don't remember recent remembory seeing anything as crazy as that.
That Yan Chen, Yeah, well way and Chen, I remember who there was another guy a couple of year, Lance mccullors had an era like that two years ago. It was just bizarre. He couldn't believe that the splits. So let's see how Craig feels about the Mets and the Phillies and some other teams. Here we get to the National League representation. Here, the Dodgers plus one seventy five to win the National League. The Mets are the next closest at plus four fifty, the Padres at plus four
to forty. Then you've got six plus six hundred for the Milwaukee Brewers, plus seven for the Giants, and the Phillies plus twenty three hundred. So when you're looking right now, who do you think is the team that's going to
come out of the National League? Because we all know getting into playoffs is one thing short series is, And can the Brewers' rotation handle the innings that are going to be out there, not just in the season, but then on top of that, can Freddy Peralta and Corbyn Burns continue to be that good when you cross over one hundred and fifty hundred and sixty innings because that's the pace they're going to be on. Is that enough in a short series with that lineup? Do you like
the Mets? Do you like the Dodgers? Where you like to put your money for the National League?
Yeah, I'll still take LA at almost two to one. I think there's still some value there. I think that the Dodgers will replace Bauer at the trade deadline. They're a very clear buyer, they Joe. They acquired you Darvish, remember that out of nowhere a couple of years ago, and they made a run with him. They're going to do something similar to that. Like you don't think Max Sure's are is going to be on the Dodgers, Joe? But would it shock you if Max Shus ended up on the Dodgers?
And if your Max Sure's I can understand saying okay to that one. What about Charlie Morton? Another guy too may shock me?
Maybe Charlie?
Yeah?
On Atlanta? Yeah, I mean I don't know that Atlanta will be that far see Morton deal, Joe would probably happen like through the waivers on August thirty first? Is I think Atlanta? I mean, we're still we're only nine days away. I don't unless the Braves lose every game between now and then. The feeling I get is that they're still gonna fight for a while. People forget that other deadline. And that's a perfect example of a guy that could get traded, you know, right there, because he
does have some money to pay. There are a lot of teams would just be like, what are we gonna do with this guy? We don't need him. So it's a good name, definitely, so, but more of a name I think for a month from now, I braves believe they still have a chance. We got to at least acknowledge that.
All right, So the American League possibly more complicated. We have the Astros plus two hundred, the White Sox at plus three ten consensus betting line over at betting pros. On the Red Sox side, he got plus five to fifty, than Tampa plus seven hundred, the Oakland A's plus nine to fifty, and the Toronto Blue Jays ten to one. Which there's something about the Blue Jays, Craig and I don't know when they get back to Canada, if they're gonna have capacity seating, how that's going to work out
eventually for them. But sometimes those young teams that just don't know they're not supposed to be there, they are incredibly dangerous they're finally gonna get George Springer here, the George Springer we hope here in the second half that they were hoping in the first half healthy. You see the lineup, You see what FLA's doing. Robbie Ray has been a revelation. I mean, how good has he been this season? Ree's pitching a little better. I know, Minoa
just went on the il. The Blue Jay is kind of a fun one to just throw some darts at. Maybe at the end, if they can get hot, can they add another starting pitcher or is it just down to the favorites like the White Sox and the Astros, Because I look at the White Sox, they get Lja Menez back healthy and Robert back healthy. That you know that staff of pitchers that to me is the toughest out in the American League, incorting to a small series,
a short series with three arms. So what do you think the American League winner is going to be.
Yeah, it's fun to talk about the Blue Jays, but I think you're burning the money. You know, the other night they lost what thirteen and nothing to Boston. You don't win a World Series with like that. Like they're pitching is just not good enough, and look, it may be a different story next year, and hitting is something that is sort of sustainable, where you could see all of their guys that are hitting and having springer for
a full year. Next year, you could see the Blue and the Blue Jays being home and being good like all those things. I can see they do not have enough this year. By the way, they do not have enough in the back end of the bullpen too. So I could see them being fun, making a run, great to be in Canada, maybe making the postseason, maybe being a wild card. But no, I do not see them winning the World Series or even winning the American Link.
I think there are much better teams there, So I guess my focus probably would be either on Houston in the West or the White Sox in the Central. I think it's fair to think that one of those two teams will do it. Listen, I was completely wrong on Boston. I didn't think they'd be anything near what they are. I still can't figure it out. They have no pitching whatsoever, and yet they have one of the best records in baseball. So shame on me for not knowing that.
One an think it's shame on you or I don't think anybody could have expected what happens Boston this year. And Nadia Valdi's been very good. Usually he's incredibly hittable, and you've gotten some gutty performances from some of the other pitchers. But I mean, who knows when they get Chris saleback how good he could probably be. We'll see. But that's an addition that, you know, Tommy John, these guys come back and it's not velocity. It never goes well,
no it doesn't, but it's never velocity. When they all say, well, VLOSSI looks good, I'm like, well, that's fine, but what's the feel for pitching? That to me is always the big problem.
Yeah, well, the data from the last I saw the other day. The data from the last five like solid pitchers that came off Tommy John and came back in the second half of the season, none of them were good zero zip none like no good stats.
Every year people draft them in fantasy, going, oh, I'm gonna have this Ace comeback in July or August. It's gonna be so huge, right, I don't know why people do that. All right, So where do you go for the champion? Right now? I know it's only the end of July. We still got to and change left in terms of months to play. I'm still feeling those White Sox man. I just think that White Sox team's got a lot of pitching, a lot of allent, very deep
lineup when they're healthy, and they're getting healthier. And that's another team too. That's staggering. Think about the injuries when you talk about the Mets injuries, how about the White Sox injuries this year? The things that they've had to overcome, and yet here they are just blowing away the competition
in that division. Who do you like? You like the Dodgers plus three ninety, you got the Astros plus four fifty to one at all, the White Sox for plus seven fifty with that pitching, and then after that the Padres, Mets and Red Sox. So right now, who do you think is the favorite? Is it the Dodgers after all? Or do you think somebody else, like maybe the villainous Houston Astros us against the world might be the better wager?
Yeah, boy, it's so boring to take the favorite. And you know me, and you've known me long enough, and you know me long enough not to take the favorite it greates you.
I'm actually shocked you even went to the Dodge to the National League.
Yeah, I am so scared they're going to end up with somebody really good next week. Yeah, I'm really you know, it's just when you're when you're there and you've been in the war and you've won the World Series and then you got to the World Series and everyone expects you to be there. You have that obligation, Joe, to get better. And this is a team that does it. Like they really look like almost the old Yankees to
a degree, Joe like almost them. Like they go out and they say, oh, you know, this may look like it's enough, but no, let's just go ahead and get the best player at some position. So what is the answer, Like, who are they going to get? I don't know, and I wish I could tell you, But your sure, there's the thing that I brought up. I was just kidding. By the way, I don't think he's gonna get traded.
I think he's gonna stay in Washington. But I feel like LA will fortify and they'll add some major pieces to their team, and I think they have a great shot to win the World Series again. I just don't like any team in the American League. The White Sox are good. They could get there for sure, but to
win to win it all, I don't know. Also, the other thing I want to say, you're totally right that the White Socks have overcome injuries, but and you follow it every day, but like we could go through all thirty teams, and yes, there are a lot of teams that have not overcome injuries, but everybody has like five or six injuries.
Sure, it's insane, but I look at they lost Magical for the year, They lost to Lloyd before the season started. They lose Robert right, you know as the season began. Uh, and I Bray. You everyone's complaining about a Bray You mean lot. You look at the numbers, it's still pretty darn good. He's still at the top they do. And you look at that lineup some days and you go, who are these guys that they're throwing out there? You know? And they continue to just show up in the pitching matters.
I mean, in short series, you throw Gilito, Lynn Rodin Kikeel. That's a pretty it.
Sounds good, it sounds good, but is it good enough to beat l A. I'm not sure.
We shall find out, all right, last question for you, then I'll let you go your gut instincts. Do we see Trevor Bauer pitch again in twenty twenty one?
For the doctors, it's like a such a loaded question. It's like and by the way, this is And sometimes I can tell you with information, and sometimes I can tell you that I'm guessing. But I would guess no, I would guess no. I just I don't know enough about the situation. All I'm doing is reading along with with everybody else. But give given the nature of how Major League Baseball has chosen to handle these sort of cases, which is basically, hey, we uh, you know, we're gonna
we're gonna shut this down. We're gonna figure out and then we'll go ahead and delegate. Whether or not you agree with that, that's not up for me. But I do think that that's the way that Baseball is going to handle this thing. And no, I mean I just don't think that. I just don't. I don't think so. But better indication will be next week, Joe, if they go ahead and get a big starting pitcher. What does that tell you?
It tells me exactly the answer to that question. There you have it. You can follow him on the Twitter machine at Craig Mish and of course check him out every day on Sports Grid from twelve to see you on Fantasy Sports Today of course covering the Marlins, and with me on Sunday mornings. Starting soon in a couple of weeks, my goodness, it's gonna be Football Time Sports Today Sunday edition with Matt Striker, myself and Craig Mish. Greig, we appreciate your time as always. I know you're busy,
so get out to the ballpark. I know you always got somewhere to be, so that'll do it for us. But the story of the game goes on for Craig Mish, I'm Joey P. We'll see you next time. Kids became