It’s been a long 12 years for the LA Dodgers as they waited for an MLB World Series win. Since then, they have picked up 12 West Division titles and three National League pennants, but could never bring home the trophy. After starting strong in the Fall Classic this year, the Tampa Bay Rays threatened to deny the Dodgers once again after LA’s latest failures in 2017 and 2018, but some prudent planning by GM Dave Roberts may have saved the day. The 2020 World Series was pushed out to six games before a winner was found and before the Dodgers could feel vindicated.
Roberts made a decision early on in the series to keep two relief pitchers in the dugout and the fact that they were able to rest up proved key in last night’s Game 6. Dylan Floro replaced Tony Gonsolin in the second inning and ended up leaving Randy Arozarena, the Rays’ go-to slugger – at home plate with two runners on base to stave off an attack. Alex Wood took over in the third and fourth innings, picking up three strikeouts and making quick work of the Rays. Gonsolin had been a big part of the Dodgers’ success in Game 5, but Floro and Wood, who were joined by four other pitchers throughout the rest of the Dodgers’ time on the field, gave him a much-needed break and performed above expectations.
Austin Barnes, who protects home plate for the Dodgers, said of the pitching crew after the game, “They just made their pitches, they executed, they didn’t let the moment get to them. The first two innings were a grind for us, we were a little bit on our heels for the first part of the game, and those guys kept us in it. Those guys won us the game.”
The Rays got things started with a homer off the bat of Arozarena in the first. That gave him the MLB record for the most hits in a postseason with 29, as well as the record for the most total bases – at 64 – in a postseason. That was the only run on the board by the Rays for the entire game. The Dodgers made sure they shut down Arozarena for the rest of the night.
Randy Arozarena (.320, 3 HR, 5 RBI), Joey Wendle (.348, 4 runs scored), Brandon Lowe (2 home runs, 5 RBI), and the tandem of Nick Anderson and Diego Castillo (10.1 IP, 0 runs, 15 K) helped Tampa Bay to a win over Los Angeles, four games to two, as Strat-O-Matic (www.strat-o-matic.com), the leader in sports simulation games, announced the results of its simulation of the series, scheduled to begin tonight in Arlington, Texas.
Arozarena earned MVP honors, homering in games 1, 2, and 5, to back the solid Tampa Bay pitching staff which limited Los Angeles to a .187 batting average through the series. Mike Zunino’s two-run home run in the seventh extended a 5-2 TB lead to put the game out of reach and secure Tampa Bay’s first championship in franchise history.
Los Angeles was paced by AJ Pollock (.333 batting average), Mookie Betts (.280, 5 runs) and Justin Turner (home run, 4 runs, 4 RBI).
“Fans across the country learned who Randy Arozarena was this October, and that translated well to our World Series simulation,” said Hal Richman, Strat-O-Matic President. “Tampa Bay’s team has been strong in our other simulations this year, so it’s not too surprising to us that the American League’s best team won it all.”
The Tampa Bay Rays have never won a World Series. The Los Angeles Dodgers are one of baseball’s most successful franchises overall – and are in the Fall Classic for the third time in the past four years, but they haven’t won a title since 1988.
One drought will end as the teams meet in this year’s World Series starting Tuesday from Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX.
MyBookie’s Head Oddsmaker David Strauss lists the Dodgers as -210 series favorites after leading the majors in wins during the regular season. The Rays are +160 underdogs.
For full World Series Odds visit mybookie.ag/sportsbook/mlb/world-series
World Series Expert Analysis from MyBookie Head Oddsmaker, David Strauss
The Dodgers have been a juggernaut all season. Once LA acquired Mookie Betts from Boston in February, the Dodgers became the odds-on World Series favorites. They did not disappoint, racing to a 43-17 record and posting a plus 136 run differential – both the best in baseball, by far.
The Dodgers are back in the World Series for the third time in four seasons, the first team to do that since the Yankees in 2000, 2001 and 2003.
The Dodgers’ NLCS roster included 12 players who have been All-Stars in their careers, for a total of 26 appearances. The Rays’ roster features just four All-Stars with five appearances.
To most fans, the Rays are an anonymous bunch. They opened the season ranking 28th in the majors in payroll. The only team to reach the World Series since 1998 with a lower ranking? The 2008 Rays.
Regardless of the unique paths each organization has taken to this point, they’re both league champions, and either team would make worthy World Series champs. So, who’s going to win it all?
David Strauss Series Prediction Dodgers in six games (+350)
Tampa Bay may be the only team to match the Dodgers’ depth, but LA’s stars will prove to be too much for even the Rays to overcome. Expect the Dodgers to finally exercise their demons and win their first title in more than 3 decades.
SERIES PRICES | MLB – Oct 20 | MLB WORLD SERIES PRICES
The Texas Rangers have never won a World Series, but their new home ballpark will house a champion as the 2020 World Series between the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays and National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers begins Tuesday night from Globe Life Park in Arlington. The Dodgers have “home-field” advantage for four of the seven games if the series goes that far and are -200 on the series line with the Rays at +170.
It’s a true David vs. Goliath matchup even though Tampa Bay and Los Angeles were the only two clubs to win at least 40 games in the coronavirus-shortened 60-game regular season. It’s just the fourth time in the Wild-Card era (since 1995), the teams with the best record in each league will meet in the World Series.
The Rays are a no-name franchise with little money to spend and zero national cache. The Dodgers have money to burn and are loaded with stars like former AL MVP Mookie Betts and former NL MVPs Cody Bellinger and Clayton Kershaw. The Dodgers’ NLCS roster included 12 players who have been All-Stars in their careers.
TeamWorks Media today announced that the Goose Island Beer Company will become the presenting sponsor of Being Guillén, La Vida Baseball’sregular visit with and inside the Guillén family. The sponsored show will stream Friday, October 16 from Goose Island Brewhouse in Chicago, and will feature Ozzie Sr, Ozzie Jr, and Oney Guillén offering their entertaining take on baseball and family. TeamWorks Media is the parent company of La Vida Baseball.
“We are proud to have Goose Island Beer Company join the La Vida Baseball family,” said Jay Sharman, TeamWorks Media. “There is no more entertaining family than the Guillén’s, who always deliver on storytelling on and off the baseball diamond, and it is a great way to again celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with our growing audience.”
“The Guillén family embodies all that is good about the diverse culture of Chicago,” said T.J. Annerino (Goose Island Beer Co.). “We are looking forward to having Ozzie and his family here at our Clybourn Pub, and honored to support the Ozzie Guillen Foundation with the Ozzie Burger and share our beers well beyond our borders through La Vida Baseball.”
The show will touch on all the recent developments in and around Chicago with the postseason runs of the Cubs and the White Sox now closed, as well as what is ahead for the offseason and a look at the Point of View of all the family members on the upcoming World Series, their thoughts on the Pandemic, and many other topics. Ozzie Sr. also has a burger named after him being served at the Brewery and the proceeds from the burger sale will go to The Ozzie Guillén Foundation. The @ozziegullen13 Burger is a mushroom infused short rib burger with green leaf lettuce, herb roasted tomato, avocado aioli, and a fried egg on a brioche roll, served in a White Sox helmet on a bed of maduros with Ozzie’s baseball card and a 16 ounce Sox Golden Ale.
All that will be in addition to the live social media streaming series, highlighted by La Vida Baseball ¡Live!, the brand’s interactive, fan-centric live show, hosted by Jennifer Mercedes (@Chica_Deportes), Julie Alexandria and Ozzie Guillén Jr; El Bullpen the short-form cultural video round-up, hosted by Julie Alexandria (@JulieAlexandria); Being Guillén, a hilarious weekly show and podcast, hosted by World Series winning manager, Ozzie Guillén and two of his sons, Ozzie Guillén Jr. and Oney Guillén; Pólvora, Voz y Diamante, an exciting and engaging Spanish language show with Polo Ascención, Jesse Castillo and Pliego Villa and Home Plate, a newly video series celebrates food and lifestyle hosted by Jennifer Mercedes and Julie Alexandria.
About La Vida Baseball
La Vida Baseball is a lifestyle media company that entertains and engages the Latino baseball community through original video, live shows and social media content. Launched in 2017, La Vida Baseball has emerged as the fastest growing Latino sports digital media company in the United States. Owned by TeamWorks Media, a Chicago-based media agency started in 2000, La Vida Baseball reaches more than six million English-preferred U.S. Latino fans per month. For more information, visit www.lavidabaseball.com or follow on all social channels @LaVidaBaseball.
About Goose Island Beer Company:
Founded in Chicago in 1988, Goose Island is a leader in craft brewing, creating award-winning beers that define innovative styles and capture the imaginations and palates of beer drinkers everywhere. Goose Island has won a variety of awards at acclaimed beer events including the World Beer Championships, World Beer Cup, European Beer Star, World Expo of Beer and the Great American Beer Festival (GABF). For more information visit http://www.gooseisland.com and find them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
About TeamWorks Media
TeamWorks Media is a purpose-driven content agency empowering its clients to change the world and their bottom line with a story well told. The Chicago-based agency creates large scale, emotionally engaging content solutions and ensures they get in front of the right audiences on the right platforms.
TeamWorks Media is comprised of content strategists, award-winning storytellers, social media experts and strategic marketers to inspire clients achieve extraordinary results by harnessing their expertise in an increasingly niche media world.
TeamWorks Media built and owns La Vida Baseball, a Latino lifestyle digital media company, the fastest growing Latinos sports media company in the U.S. TeamWorks Media has long-standing partnerships with the Big Ten Conference and runs BTN’s inspirational media brand, BTN LiveBIG. Recent clients also include Turner Sports, NBC Universal, Northwestern University, The World Golf Hall of Fame and the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Depending on which side of the ballpark you sit, there’s good news and bad news for MLB fans. The MLB postseason has already found a couple of teams that will advance to conference finals, and one of them is a team many baseball fans would have preferred to see come unglued this year. However, there’s no turning back now, and those who oppose cheating in sports will just have to hope that the team doesn’t advance past the Atlantic League Championship Series (ALCS).
The Houston Astros took the Oakland A’s in the Atlantic League Division Series 3-1, advancing to the ALCS competition. Baseball fans have no problem recalling the scandal that emerged last season after the Astros were found to have been cheating to gain an edge. Some felt the franchise got off light and wasn’t punished severely enough for its actions, which is part of the reason players on other teams may have decided to take measures into their own hands this season. Given the fact that the Astros finished the regular season with a losing 29-31 record, their appearance in two consecutive postseason competitions doesn’t seem justified.
Who the Astros meet in the ALCS still hasn’t been decided, but oddsmakers know who they expect to win. The Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees are tied at two games apiece after the Yankees added their second victory yesterday, and the winner will be decided in Game 5 today. The Yankees are the favorite to win, getting around -150 at most sportsbooks. The Rays have +130.
On the other side of MLB is the National League Division Series, which is completely wrapped up. Although the San Diego Padres put up a valiant effort to get as far as they did this year, they ultimately were swept by the heavily-favored LA Dodgers. The last time the Padres won a division title was in 2006, and they haven’t picked up a league pennant since 1998. Many thought that this might be their year, but a powerful Dodger lineup proved to be a little too much.
Launching a massive casino project is a gamble. There’s no guarantee that the investment will pay off, and many multimillion-dollar projects have failed to reach their expected goals. However, those who are willing to take the risk will often be willing to make huge bets elsewhere, as well. This is true of Derek Stevens, the casino mogul behind the D Las Vegas, Golden Gate and the upcoming Circa Casino, who placed two bets on MLB action that, unfortunately for his wallet, have virtually no chance of holding up. The odds of a million-dollar payout are now out the window.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that Stevens took a calculated risk on the Miami Marlins to win the National League (NL), as well as the World Series. The Marlins looked good heading into the postseason, taking the NL wild-card series against the Chicago Cubs to advance against the Atlanta Braves. However, things aren’t exactly going as planned for the team in the NL race, and the Marlins are now down 0-2 in the best-of-five series. One more loss, and it’s over for a shot at the NL pennant, which would automatically eliminate the team from a World Series run.
Stevens reportedly put up $5,000 for the Marlins to take the NL at odds of 200-1, and $2,500 against 400-1 for the team to take the World Series. He placed his bets with Westgate, saying afterwards, “Game 7 of the World Series is Oct. 28 and that’s the day Circa opens. I can maybe cash something out over here, and help pay for the new joint.” Stevens will now have to look for another option to cover that expense.
Stevens also put up a couple of bets on the Detroit Tigers, which didn’t come through, either. Jay Kornegay, Westgate’s VP of Sportsbook, said later, “Derek and I talked about it and we know he’s a big Tigers fan. He took a shot with the Marlins because he knew they were an up-and-coming young team with solid young pitchers.”
It has been more than eight decades since the Cubs and Yankees met in the World Series, but according to the simulation posted today by Strat-O-Matic (www.strat-o-matic.com), the leader in sports simulation games, those two storied franchises will survive three rounds of playoffs and match up for the title next month. Chicago, behind four home runs and 10 RBI by MVP Anthony Rizzo, won it in seven games, a two-run single by unlikely hero Victor Caratini in the eighth inning of the deciding contest providing the winning margin in what would be Chicago’s second crown in five years and fourth in its history.
After edging sixth-seeded Miami in the N.L. Wild Card round, two games to one, No. 3 Chicago won its next series more efficiently, 3-1 over Atlanta and 4-1 over San Diego. The Yankees, the A.L. No 5 seed, had a similar run to the Series, sweeping Cleveland in the Wild Card round, taking Toronto, three games to one, and Minnesota, four games to one.
In the World Series, the Cubs took a three games to one lead before the Yankees earned wins in games five and six to set up the winner-take-all finale. Despite two home runs by Giancarlo Stanton, Caratini’s pinch hit put the Cubs up for good in the 8-5 victory. Rizzo hit .483 and also scored seven runs in the series, which pitted the same franchises who were paired in 1932 and 1938.
“It’s been a season unlike any other in so many ways,” said Hal Richman, Strat-O-Matic President. “And while these may not be the favored teams in either league, anything can happen in a short series, and the Strat-O-Matic simulation, which has annually been a good predictor of the winner, reflect that.”
Each round’s series results are below; fans can see linescores for each contest at www.strat-o-matic.com.
Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Lou Brock passed away yesterday at 81. Not only did he live his mark on the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs, he left it on the entire baseball community, becoming a prolific outfielder, hitter and base-stealer. The latter earned him the nickname of “Base Burglar,” becoming the only player in the history of MLB to steal 50 or more bases in 12 straight seasons. His talents at the plate and on the field were responsible for three National League pennants and two World Series championships.
Brock got off to a slow start in baseball, not playing in an organized league until the 11th grade of high school. From there, the six-time All-Star quickly began to be noticed by scouts and teams, and would play for the Cubs from 1961 to 1964 before being traded to the Cardinals. It was there that he would have the biggest impact, stealing 938 bases in the 16 years he was with the team. Brock retired in 1979, but would always be a figure intrinsically linked to baseball.
William O. DeWitt, Jr., the CEO and principle owner of the Cardinals, said in a statement about Brock’s passing, “Lou Brock was one of the most revered members of the St. Louis Cardinals organization and one of the very best to ever wear the Birds on the Bat. Lou was a Hall of Fame player, a great coach, an insightful broadcaster and a wonderful mentor to countless generations of Cardinals players, coaches and members of the front office. He was an ambassador of the game around the country and a fan favorite who connected with millions of baseball fans across multiple generations. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered.”
It seems a little fitting that his death would come the day his two former teams were set to face off in Chicago. Brock still holds the NL record for most career steals, and is just one behind Rickey Henderson, who set the league record in 1991 with the LA Angels when he stole his 939th base. Brock was the first player to smack over 20 home runs and steal more than 50 bases in a single season and would twice hold the record for runs scored, as well as lead MLB in single-season doubles and triples.
When the NBA called a halt to its basketball season in March, sports fans began to get worried. When MLB followed suit just before Opening Day, things looked extremely grim. Fortunately, after making some adjustments, major sports action has been able to press forward. It’s a good thing, too, because what the baseball world has been witnessing over the past month could have never been anticipated. This, by many accounts, has been one of the best seasons in modern-day baseball history, and it’s only going to get better.
Take, for example, the LA Dodgers setting the National League (NL) record for the most home runs in a month. They achieved this off the bet of Cody Belllinger in a game against the Texas Rangers this past Sunday, giving the team 57 homers in August. The hit was not only big for him, but it also allowed both Will Smith and Corey Seager to score as the Dodgers cruised to a 7-2 victory. Before this home run, the Atlanta Braves held the NL record, set in June of last year, with 56.
Almost in an effort to make sure their legacy stayed somewhat intact, the Braves went on to set a record of a different kind in their series against the Boston Red Sox this week. Marcell Ozuna helped crack an uncrackable nut when he logged three home runs against the Red Sox on Tuesday and Adam Duvall broke it wide open when he did the same on Wednesday. This is also the first time in MLB history that two teammates have three-homer days in back-to-back games (Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig had back-to-back three-homer games, but that was during a doubleheader).
It’s rare to see a rookie step up to the plate with a butterfly-free stomach and not choke. Being a new player in the majors has to be a little unnerving for any player, as well as the team that put up big bucks to acquire him. Bobby Dalbec was drafted by the Red Sox in the fourth round of the 2016 MLB Draft and spent the next couple of years honing his skills in the minors. The Red Sox felt it was time for him to finally move up and promoted him to their MLB roster this year. As he made his second at-bat, coming in the third inning, he nailed the pitch, sending sailing into the right-field bleachers. He had only just been called up from the minors that same day.
It was considered one of baseball’s most unbreakable records. But on September 6, 1995, Cal Ripken Jr. added to his Hall of Fame resumé by playing in his 2131st consecutive game, eclipsing the mark of another immortal, Lou Gehrig, in front of the home fans at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Now, a quarter century later, in celebration of the achievement, the all-time great shortstop has worked with TOPPS to curate two special edition collectible card series which tell the story of his journey to 2131, the magical night—which included a Ripken home run—and the day he finally ended the streak four years later.
The Ripken set will be available for a limited time beginning on Sunday, 25 years to the day he passed Gehrig, in a deluxe collector’s edition which includes a Ripken autograph card as well as a standard edition. Cards will depict numerous highlights of his career as well as other players and games Ripken selected as personally most memorable.
“Baseball cards have been a part of my family’s life for years, and I couldn’t be happier to be working with TOPPS to create this set,” said Ripken, whose father Cal Sr. coached and managed and brother Bill also played in the Majors. “I selected cards that represent special moments and people that have made my life in baseball special, and ones that I think fans will enjoy collecting.”
“Cal Ripken’s ‘Ironman’ streak is one of the sport’s classic records, set by one of its most popular players ever,” said Jeff Heckman, Topps’ Global Director of Ecommerce. “We are excited that Cal wanted to commemorate this 25th anniversary with cards that represent what the game means to him, in the context of this achievement.”
A commemorative TOPPS Project 2020 card celebrating Jackie Robinson Day Friday across MLB posted today at http://topps.com/project2020. Artist Don C‘s interpretation of the classic 1952 Topps Robinson card is available through 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.
The Robinson card, issued today along with Jacob Rochester’s reimagining of the iconic 1955 Roberto Clemente, is one of a series of 20 cards posted by each of 20 commissioned pop artists, two each weekday since the originally scheduled opening of the 2020 season in March. The series has been extremely popular with fans and collectors, and is now more than halfway through the full set of 400.
Don C’s Robinson work places the all-time great in front of his retired #42, which will be worn by all Major Leaguers in games today, with “In Loving Memory” in script above and his signature below the legendary pose from the original card, on a light blue background.
Some of the elements selected by Alonso include NYC street art (bright colors, graffiti lettering, bright textures); and “Molon Labe” derived from King Leonidas, leader of the 300 Spartans at the Battle of Thermopylae, which Alonso says captures his approach at the plate.
Included are 20 base cards featuring top stars of today, plus 30 insert cards with Alonso’s season award picks, the 50-homer club (of which Alonso became a member last year), franchise favorites and more, all with strong ties to the second-year Mets star.
This past weekend saw sportsbooks have a lot of action to offer. It also marked the transition of the regular season to the postseason for the NBA, with only one seeding game played on Saturday, which is probably why there wasn’t a lot of interest in the basketball league on Bodog. The NBA dropped in the rankings of the most bet leagues on the global sportsbook this weekend, giving up space to both MLB and the NHL, which continue to provide some exceptional entertainment.
Last Friday saw the end of the NBA’s regular season, with the Eastern Conference teams already set for the playoffs. There was only one question remaining – who would be the eighth seed in the West. That spot was determined on Saturday when the Portland Trail Blazers edged out the Memphis Grizzlies, eliminating them from playoff contention. Without any addition games on the weekend calendar, NBA action only accounted for 15.25% of the wagers. Now that the postseason is officially underway, as of yesterday, this will certainly change, and basketball will rebound to the top of the list.
MLB took first in the top-ten list on Bodog, capturing 34.17% of the bets. It was, by far, the most popular target for sports gamblers, with the second-place NHL only seeing 17.14% of the wagers. Also getting a piece of bettors’ money was the UEFA Champions League, with 5.71%, PGA’s Wyndham Championship (4.21%) and the WNBA, with 2.93%. Table tennis, which helped sportsbooks survive the coronavirus pandemic, still manages to stay in the upper rankings, and saw 2.67% of the action.
While MLB, as a whole, saw most of the action, the Trail Blazers-Grizzlies game was the favorite among sports gamblers, accounting for 18.08% of the bets. Several NBA games brought the regular season to a close on Friday helped contribute to NBA’s share of the action, with three additional games capturing a little more than 20% of Bodog’s top ten events.
Did the St. Louis Cardinals put their season at risk by visiting a casino? That’s what many in the baseball community are trying to figure out, and thanks to strict safety guidelines at a Milwaulkee area casino, it appears we have the answer.
The controversy started because Jerry Hairston Jr., put out speculation on Twitter that the Miami Marlins had gotten sick by going to the club, and the Cardinals had contracted Covid-19 by visiting a casino.
Never named names, which city or which casino. Even had question mark after casino in my tweet from what I heard from reliable sources. @JonHeyman confirmed. Cards said got it from outside. President said it could’ve been store or Bar. Hope everyone gets healthy/back on the field pic.twitter.com/jZOZQie14p
— Jerry Hairston, Jr. (@TheRealJHair) August 5, 2020https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
One thing’s for sure – no one will ever forget the 2020 MLB season. Just days before it should have kicked off this past March, it was forced to suspend the action because of COVID-19. That was only the beginning of what would turn into enough drama to fill a five-year soap opera, with just as many twists and surprise plot changes. Chances are, we’re not done yet, with everything from new coronavirus cases to wayward drones forcing the season to change course once again.
Since the season reboot began, MLB has had to deal with major coronavirus outbreaks in two teams that apparently thought they didn’t have to follow the rules. The Miami Marlins were the first after a number of players allegedly decided to go clubbing, leading to at least 19 players and staffers being diagnosed with COVID-19. Not to be outdone, players with the St. Louis Cardinals are said to have gone to a casino close to home, which led to a second outbreak. In both cases, games had to be postponed, throwing the already-confusing schedule into turmoil and leading to threats by league commissioner Rob Manfred to cancel the season (a bluff that would never materialize).
New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes traveled with his team to Atlanta to take on the Braves this past weekend when he suddenly went MIA. There was apparently no word, no phone call, no text message – he simply vanished from his hotel room with his personal belongings. It was later revealed, after the club began scrambling to cover the game, that he had made an impromptu decision to sit out the remainder of the season because of the coronavirus. However, that may have just been a cover for another reason. Cespedes had seen his playing time reduced and wasn’t going to be on the field much for the game against the Braves. He reportedly got fed up and decided to walk away, using the league’s coronavirus opt-out policy as an excuse. With it being so easy to abandon the season, other players could choose to follow suit and take a year off.
The plan for the MLB reboot was to have all teams top out with 30-man rosters, which would be reduced to 28 after two weeks, then to 26. Because of the continuing number of positive COVID-19 cases, the league has decided to drop only to 28 for the remainder of the season and postseason, fearful that too many players might end up riding the bench because of the virus. Taxi squads, reserve players who practice with the teams, will be increased from three to five.
When MLB restarted its season a couple of weeks ago, sports fans, as well as sportsbooks, breathed a collective sigh of relief. After all major sports were called off in March, it was time to get back into the swing of things and a return of sports means a return to a sense of normalcy. It only took a couple of days for the dreams of recovery to be shattered, however, when an unusually high number of baseball players and staffers with the Miami Marlins suddenly tested positive for COVID-19. Less than two weeks later, the number of positive results has soared to 20, but the Marlins aren’t the only team to see an outbreak, and things are getting worse. As MLB explores the reasons why, it has discovered that several teams are treating health protocols as a joke. As a result, there’s a chance that the league might shut down the season entirely, all because a handful of people couldn’t be responsible and mature enough.
In addition to the Marlins, the St. Louis Cardinals have also seen at least three positive cases following the revelation that two players were found to have COVID-19. As a result, MLB looked into where the team had been and discovered that a number of players had traveled to a casino, possibly one of those located near Busch Stadium where the team plays. There are two gambling venues within a mile of the stadium. In the case of the Marlins, the players had decided to visit a nightclub.
As a result of the presence of the coronavirus in these two teams, as well as others, a number of MLB games have already been postponed – 17 and counting. This not only impacts the Marlins and the Cardinals, who have had to alter their schedules, but their opponents and their opponents’ opponents as the entire season schedule is upended.
According to Steven Souza, Jr., outfielder for the Chicago Cubs, the blame is squarely on the shoulders of those who haven’t been smart enough to follow the rules. He tweeted last Friday, “Every player in this league better take a hard look at what you’re doing off the field, because what you do affects, more than just you and your team. Your decisions off the field will put all of our seasons in jeopardy this year.”
Last week brought with it something no one thought could happen – the start of the MLB regular season. It took forever for team owners and players to reach an agreement on how to handle issues regarding games and salaries, but, once they did, baseball fans everywhere were ready for Opening Day. What they weren’t ready for, however, was an unwanted player on the field; one that could threaten the season and bring it to an even shorter end than the 60 games already imposed. COVID-19 appears to be ready to play baseball.
Yesterday, the Miami Marlins took on the Philadelphia Phillies in Philadelphia. Noticeably missing from the Marlins lineup was right-handed pitcher Jose Urena, who was scratched ahead of the game. While there wasn’t a reason given for his removal, it was later learned that he tested positive for the coronavirus. In addition, it was revealed that catcher Jorge Alfaro (he was scratched last Friday), infielder Garrett Cooper and outfielder Harold Ramirez have also tested positive.
As a result, the Marlins, which would beat the Phillies 11-6, delayed their return flight home, choosing to hang out in Philadelphia a little longer and fly out today – the same day they have to play the Baltimore Orioles at home. According to a statement from manager Don Mattingly, “We were more comfortable flying as a group later. We’re talking about these guys traveling back home to their families and their kids, and it’s the reason we want to be safe.”
Undoubtedly, health officials are already looking to trace how the virus is being spread through the league. Last week, the Marlins took on the Atlanta Braves in exhibition games, and three Braves – first baseman Freddie Freeman and catchers Travis d’Arnaud and Tyler Flowers – are out after showing signs of COVID-19 symptoms. It isn’t clear of the Marlins players picked up the virus during those games, or if they passed it on, having been contagious without realizing it.
The 2020 baseball season will be unlike any other, a 60-game sprint that began last night replacing the normal 162-game grind. And just as that means different strategies and maybe a different outcome than a full slate would have produced, Strat-O-Matic’s (www.strat-o-matic.com) simulation of the truncated schedule meant a new winner, as Cleveland topped Los Angeles, four games to two, in the World Series.
Cleveland, which posted the second-best A.L. record at 39-21, swept No. 7 Boston (29-31) in the expanded first round and No. 3 Tampa Bay (38-22) in the ALDS, then survived a seven-game series with No. 1 Houston (44-16) in the NLCS before topping Los Angeles (44-16), the N.L. top seed, winning the last three games to erase a 2-1 series deficit. Domingo Santana was a surprise hero, batting .417 with two homers in the series, and Franmil Reyes slugged three round-trippers for the winners.
“We figured there would be a difference between the 162- game and 60-game simulations, but Cleveland winning is certainly a surprise,” said Hal Richman, Strat-O-Matic founder. “The upcoming ‘sprint’ season and expanded playoffs mean that truly anything can happen, and Cleveland winning it all for the first time in more than 70 years certainly qualifies.”
Some other statistics and items of note from the season:
Daniel Murphy of Colorado (.380) and Xander Bogaerts of Boston (.345) won the league batting titles, respectively
Joey Gallo of Texas got on a home run roll, blasting 17, matched by his N.L. counterpart, Kris Bryant of Chicago. Carlos Correa of Houston knocked in 46 runs to lead the A.L., and Eduardo Escobar had 39 RBI to pace the N.L.
Charlie Morton won an A.L.-high 9 games for Tampa Bay, while Jack Flaherty’s 10 wins for St. Louis led all of baseball.
Atlanta’s Mike Foltynewicz posted a miniscule 1.27 ERA, best in baseball, while Gerrit Cole of New York led the A.L. at a stingy 1.51.
Four pitchers had 20 saves: Roberto Osuna, Houston; Kenley Jansen, Los Angeles (N.L.); Hector Neris, Philadelphia; and Daniel Hudson, Washington
Division winners were Tampa Bay (38-22), Cleveland (39-21), Houston (44-16), Atlanta (38-22), St. Louis (39-21) and Los Angeles (44-16).
Seven of the first-round series were sweeps, six of those won by the home team/higher seed. Only No. 7 Colorado’s win over No. 2 St. Louis went the full three games.
Strat-O-Matic has experienced unprecedented growth over the past quarter, registering sharp increases in sales, traffic and social numbers. Board and Windows games, digital platform Strat-O-Matic Baseball 365, Website traffic, new users and social media have all seen significant boosts over comparable time periods as fans continue to satiate their thirst for baseball, Strat-O-Matic style, connecting with the game and each other across all of these areas.
MLB brass and players have accomplished they haven’t been able to do easily in recent history – agree on something. As the league met with members of the MLB Players Association (MLBPA) yesterday, they came up with a solution to finish out the current season, making changes to the playoffs that will see more games added in the run for the World Series title. It’s a move that should make both players and fans happy.
Now, instead of ten teams in the playoffs, there will be 16. All six divisions in the MLB will send their second-place teams to the playoffs, with the seventh and eighth playoff teams from each league determined by who has the best record at the end of the modified regular season. Explains MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred in a statement, “This season will be a sprint to a new format that will allow more fans to experience playoff baseball. We look forward to a memorable Postseason concluding a year like no other.”
The postseason will start with its first round on September 29 to October 2. This round will include four three-game series for each league, the American League (AL) and National League (NL), and the higher-seeded team will have home-field advantage. Following this, the normal playoff structure will be seen, with divisions holding five-game series leading up to the leagues’ finals. The AL and NL Championship Series, as well as the World Series, will both be best-of-seven tournaments. Tony Clark, the executive director of the MLBPA, is supportive of the changes, and states, “We hope it will result in highly competitive pennant races as well as exciting additional playoff games to the benefit of the industry and all involved heading into next year.”
What hasn’t been officially released, but provided by an unofficial source to the Associated Press, is that there won’t be any luxury tax owed this year. This tax, also known as the Competitive Balance Tax, is paid annually by each club once it surpasses a predetermined payroll threshold. For 2020, that threshold was $208 million, an $11-million increase over the past two years. That could be good news for some clubs, since the league has agreed to allocate $50 million to players, which will be given out following each round of postseason action, and which could be increased if fans are allowed to hit the stands.
