In the main event for the night we have former champ and gold metal champion Henry “Triple
C” Cejudo or the “Short King” as he calls himself vs Song Yadong in Seattle Washington. From
a betting standpoint you have one of the all time UFC greats, a 2 division champ as an
underdog at +220. Give me that value all day. Now “The Short King” will have his hands full
with Song there is no doubt. I don’t feel great about this one. But I do see Song tire himself out
in previous fights and with this one being a 5 round main event, I see the likelihood of that
happening being very strong with a world class wrestler as Cejudo is. This has been the
blueprint to beating Song in the past and I expect that to exploited this Saturday. If its not
obvious by now I’m am going with Cejudo in this fight but the reason I dont love it is because
he wasted some of the best years in a dispute over money with the UFC. Where he retired sat
out 2 years and now is back. His first 2 fights since being back were against the best the UFC
has to offer in Merab Dvalishvili and Aljamain Sterling both current and former champions.
Which both were losses but pretty understandable considering everything. Cejudo is 38 and
has a lot to prove. A 2 fight losing streak against current and former champs is understandable,
a 3 strike losing streak could make him irrelevant and Cejudo will have motivation to get this
win. And with a path do it I believe he gets it done. Now I don’t think he can stand there and
trade with Song but he can take Song down, control him and win this fight. Song has been
taken down at ease. His first fight in the UFC against Cody Stamann Song gets taken down 5
times. In his loss vs Kyler Phillips gets taken down 3 times and controlled. Then in his fight
again Petr Yan who no one would confuse has a great wrestler he gets taken down as well.
Song stands in the pocket flat footed and wants to trade strikes, which makes him an easy
target for Cejudo.
My Pick: Henry Cejudo +220
Props:
-Fight goes the distance/over 4.5 rounds
-(Long Shot) Cejudo by split decision

Anthony Hernandez will take on Brandon Allen in a middle weight bout that should be one of
the most interesting to watch but much more difficult to bet on. I love Anthony “Fluffy”
Hernandez but he will have his hands full with Brandon Allen on Saturday night. Now if this was
a 5 round main event fight give me Hernandez all day long. This 3 rounder favors Brandon Allen
in my opinion. Allen has fought top level competition, is 3 inches taller, an excellent grappler in
his own right, has 8 wins by submission and is a better striker than Hernandez. Now the
consensus I am getting is Hernandez will take Allen down and ground and pound him in to
submission. While that is a possibility lets not forget Brandon Allen is a BJJ black belt I believe
he can handle his own against Hernandez who for the weight class is a smaller middle weight.
Hernandez does not have great defensive wresting. He gets taken down at a 65% clip. He is
not a great striker. He got mauled by Markus Perez in his UFC debut. Gets dropped by Kevin
Holland and then goes on to fight a string of strikers and out wrestles all of them. These are
professional fighters so I’m not trying to discount that but he has not faced the level of
competition as Brandon Allen will bring to Saturday night. I just think Hernandez is too risky for
the price. He hasn’t been knocked out but he has been chin check and knocked down a
couple times. This is a pure value bet.

My pick: Brandon Allen
Jean Matsumoto will be a favorite going in to his fight vs UFC great Rob Font. I can’t get
enough Rob Font in this one. I don’t know how he is currently the underdog in this match up
but I love the plus money. Trust me I am aware of of Font’s weak take down defense, he
basically can get taken down at will. But he has been working on his get-up game and that
should help his success in this one. Font has had a full camp in preparation for this fight, while
Matsumoto took this fight on short notice with Dominick Cruz pulling out and subsequently
retiring. All that considered along with Matsumoto fighting out of a small gym in Brazil, limited
pro fighting experience ( he has never even fought outside of the UFC Apex) might make for a
long night against an elite striker like Rob Font. Who has fought the best the best the
Bantamweight division has had to offer. The only path to victory in my opinion for Matsumoto is
to TKO Font or just straight turn the lights out. With Matsumoto’s last knockout coming more
than 6 years ago I don’t see a likely possibility for Saturday night.
My Pick: Rob Font
Next up we have Jean Silva taking on Melsik Baghdasaryan. Now this fight could be much
closer than the -500 for Jean Silva might entail. This is not because Jean Silva doesn’t have a
clear path to victory, he does, its just a matter of if he will take it or not. Melsik simply can’t
grapple. Not saying Silva is some master on the ground but he is competent, while Melsik has
close to no skill. What Melsik is great at is striking with a ton of power. Silva who just love to
fight, loves to trade could fall right in to what Melsik is good at. Silva trains with Fighting Nerds
out of Brazil, a great team who will almost certainly encourage Silva to get the fight to the
ground. Whether Silva listens to them is a different story. With those thoughts I was almost
leaning towards going with Melsik on this one but then I looked at his previous scheduled
fights. He pulled out of his last 4 scheduled fight because of injury or undisclosed reasons. He
is 33 and his body seems to be breaking down on him. Now there isn’t a ton of value betting
Silva at -500 but I do see a world where Melsik might be winning the 1st round and could be a
live betting opportunity so watch for that.
My pick: Jean Silva

Props: (Maybe Live Bet Silva), Silva by submission, Over 1.5 rounds
At light heavyweight Alonzo Menifield will fight Julius Walker. Menifield in my opinion is not that
good. He is 37 years old, got in to MMA after a semi-pro football career. So starting MMA later
in life didn’t allow him to develop the skills needed to be a top level fighter. He has lost his last
2 fights by knockout, one happening in the first 12 seconds of round 1. He is not a good striker
and not a good wrestler and his cardio leaves something to be desired. He is really just a
strong guy. He gets knock downs but doesn’t actually finish. Now Walker on the other hand did
do things the right way. He is 25 got in to MMA at 20. So he is still learning but has 5 years
training. He has fought the best opponents available to him. He brings some solid cardio to the
table and throws straight punches as opposed to Menifield’s long looping punches. When
Walker gets you to the ground his ground and pound game is strong. 205 is lacking in talent
and its my belief that is why a guy like Menifield even exists but really shouldn’t be there.
My pick: Julius Walker
Ibo vs Ion. Ibo Aslan will take on Ion Cutelaba. Sounds like a fight between 2 cyborgs. Could
be a fight between 2 robots charged up to 20% each. Neither of these guys have a battery I trust. Ion even when he tries to pace himself runs out of gas and Ibo doesn’t even try to pace
himself and usually gasses after round 1 if he doesn’t simply knock the guy out. Ibo is 14-1 by
doing this same exact thing, which has obviously worked so far but he hasn’t faced a wrestler
like Ion Cutelaba. Ion is not some super star wrester with all these accolades but he is better
than Ibo. I dont like betting on guys with weak gas tanks but when you put 2 of them in a cage
together one has to walk away victorious. I know I just got done trashing both of their gas
tanks but I do like the over 1.5 rounds. I think Ion with wrestle Ibo slowing down the fight.
My pick: Ion Cutelaba
Props: Over 1.5 rounds

Andre “Touchy” Fili (one of the best fight names in the game) will enter the octagon against
Melquizael Costa. Normally I would say give me Fili who just simply has the better pedigree of
the 2 fighters but I seriously have questions about his desire to fight. His last fight he seemed
disinterested and was going through the motions. While I know Costa will bring it, I still can’t
pick him. These are professional fighters and how can I possibly predict someone’s heart to
participate? I just have to assume they are going to go out there and give 100%. Fili is the
better wrestler, his striking is on par with Costa but with 23 UFC fights to his name his
experience should speak loudly in this one. Costa can get takedown and controlled pretty
easily and he will not be able to take Fili down. So Costa will be limited to trying to outwork Fili
by throwing weak strikes from the outside and to me that is a pretty limited path to victory.
My pick: Andre “Touchy” Fili

With the largest spread on the card Mansur Abdul-Malik goes against Nick Klein. Now Mansur
has been running through everyone he has faced but its tough to know how good he is and at
a -900 at some books doesn’t leave a lot of meat on the bone if you know what I’m saying.
Mansur is young and learning quickly on the job. But that price is too high for someone who I
dont know what his strengths are, who I don’t know what his weaknesses are either. Now he
could be very good one day, I just dont know where he is at right now. With all the being said
Nick Klein isn’t better or gives me more confidence from a betting standpoint. He has only
fought low level competition. Got a win on Contender Series by rushing his opponent and
choking him out in front of Dana White, which landed him a contract with the UFC. Klein is not
very active works a regular job and his win condition is rush the opponent and finish him right
away. Not a good strategy in my opinion.
My Pick: Mansur Abdul-Malik
Props:Klein sub, Malik by TKO

Javid Basharat takes on falling star Ricky Simon. Ricky had such an amazing start to his career
but has since disappointed to say the least. A power wrestler who once dominated opponents
now shoots weak take downs and when he does get them, lets his challengers back up with
little resistance. Simon is fighting in somewhat of a home crowd for him, lower on the card,
which mean it could be some regional judges on the fight leaving a possible Simon by split
decision. Javid certainly will not finish Simon. The Basharat brother love to outstrke their
opponents but never actually finish them. Over on rounds could be a good based for building
parlays. Its pretty juiced up right now but with good reason because neither of these guys are
finishers. Javid can’t finish anyone and Simon’s strikes are very mechanical and go 1-2, 1-2,
with nothing exotic for Javid to really worry about.
My pick: Javid Basharat
Props:Javid by decision, Simon by split decision, Over 2.5 rounds

Nikolay Veretennikov fights Austin Vanderford (better known as Paige Vanzant’s husband) on
Saturday night. Neither of these fighters are high level at anything. So you have to look deeper
to predict a winner. I go back to the fact Paige Vanzant will likely divorce Austin if he doesn’t
get this win. I’m kidding but seriously this is how far deep I got to go to break down this fight.
Vanderford was on Contender series way back in 2018 and didn’t get signed. Now he is back
facing Veretennikov who pulled out of his fight last week and was given a fight this week not
sure the reason for that. He goes 0-3 in Russia to start his pro fight career. His take down
defense is not very good. He is relatively small for the weight class. He has not fought high
level competition. At least Vanderford was a 2 time state wresting champion in Alaska. Now
how good is Alaska state wresting? Who knows? But its something. Now as mentioned before
this fight takes place in Seattle, Vanderford lives in Orergon so maybe a little home town
boost? But he did take this fight on short notice which we know can be tough on some guys.
But him being ready so quickly does leave me to believe that he knew he was getting a fight
just didn’t know which one so hopefully he had a good camp getting ready for this one. Nikolay
doesn’t work angles at all and I think will be standing right there for Vanderford take downs.
My pick: Austin Vanderford

In the biggest head scratcher, what the hell am I doing even looking in to this fight of the night.
Nursulton Ruziboev will fight Eric Mcconico. The best I can say about Ruzi is that he doesn’t
suck as bad a Mcconico. When you look at Ruzi’s Tapology page its littered with warnings of
unverifiable wins. Awesome. While Mcconico doesn’t even have a real photo taken by the UFC.
Even more awesome. Mcconico is a career regional guy, 34 and does have some skills. Are
they UFC type skills? That remains to be seen. He can be knocked out but will push some
pace and not quit at least. Ruzi’s success mostly comes in the first half of fights and can fade
as the fight goes on. So like I said I’m picking the lesser of 2 evils.
My pick: Nursulton Ruziboev

Kicking off the night we have Modestas Bakaukas fighting Raffael Cerqueira. Raffael debuts in
the UFC at 34 as a mostly Brazilian regional guy. Shows no real skills and is a very low level
fighter in my opinion. Modestas is a better striker and better on the ground but don’t load up
on this one its far from a lock. Modestas has durability issues and there is a decent chance he
gets dropped. The longer the fight goes the better for Modestas.
My pick: Modestas Bakaukas
Props: Bakaukas inside the distance

Cornejo is set to compete in ONE 168: Denver on September 6th at Ball Arena against Adrian Lee. This event is notable as only the second ONE Championship fight card held in the U.S., following last year’s event in Broomfield that was sold out.

In the interview with Denver Sports Betting owner Ryan Garcia, Cornejo recounted his rise from a challenging upbringing in Pueblo to becoming a prominent figure in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). His path to professional fighting has been anything but conventional.

With his focus now solely on his fight career, Cornejo is eager to make a significant impact at ONE 168. Fans and sports enthusiasts are invited to tune in to hear his inspiring story and witness his next step in the MMA world. Make sure to tune in on September 6th for One 168 by grabbing your tickets to see it live. Link here

By: Riggs Tamburo | Date: October 17th, 2022

Denver Broncos +4.5 @ Los Angeles Chargers -4.5 | Over/Under 45.5 Points

Game Preview:

Another week, another Primetime Broncos game.  The Denver Broncos come into this game with a 2-3 record and will be on the road in Los Angeles taking on the Chargers. Last Thursday in their 12-9 loss to Indianapolis, the Broncos poor offensive woes continued, not even reaching the endzone one time. Denver will be trying to end their 2-game losing streak, while also trying to pick up their first road win of the season in Sofi Stadium.

The Los Angeles Chargers come into this game with a 3-2 record, coming off a 30-28 win over the Cleveland Browns. Unlike the Broncos, the Chargers have won their past two games and will be looking to ride that momentum into this one. On average, Los Angeles is putting up 24.4 points per game, throwing for 291 yards, and rushing for 99. Offensively, this Chargers team is rolling much more than this Denver Broncos team. With that said, the Chargers defense is struggling, allowing 27 points per game. The run defense appears to be solid, especially not having to face Javonte Williams, but if Russell Wilson heats up, he can expose these cornerbacks.

In this clash between AFC West foes, it’s understandable why one would want to fade this Broncos team and never look back. Through the first five games, QB Russell Wilson has only thrown four touchdowns this year, with three interceptions. In those five games, he only surpassed 300+ yards one time and it was Week 1 against Seattle. In comparison, QB Justin Herbert has thrown for 10 touchdowns, with only two interceptions. Many people have already written off the Broncos and Russell Wilson, but I truly don’t believe the team has settled in yet. First, they lose by 1-point to the Seahawks in Week 1 and the finger was pointed at new Head Coach Nathaniel Hackett. Then the team got a couple of ugly wins under their belt, and the unfortunate loss of Javonte Williams happened. Last Thursday the blame got put on Russell Wilson after the team failed to reach the endzone and Wilson went 21-for-39, with 274 passing yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions, The poor performance resulted in a season-low QB rating of 54.9. There continues to be loads of pressure and blame put on Russell Wilson, and he needs to rally this team and find a way to win this football game. Many people are calling for this to be yet another boring Primetime game, but in my opinion this one potentially has fireworks written all over it.

Key Injuries

Los Angeles Chargers

WR- Keenan Allen: Hamstring (Doubtful)

OT- Trey Pipkins: Knee (Questionable)

Denver Broncos

RB- Melvin Gordon lll: Neck/Ribs (Questionable)

OG- Dalton Risner: Back (Questionable)

LB- Josey Jewell: Knee (OUT)

S- Caden Sterns: Hip (OUT)

Chargers v Broncos Picks & Predictions: WHAT TO BET ON

Spread Pick:

The Los Angeles Chargers are very intriguing in this spot, but I have weird feeling about this one. I feel that this is one of those games I call a “trend breaker”. Los Angeles are 4-1 at the spread in their last five games. Denver is 0-5 at the spread in their last five games. To put the icing on the cake, 65% of bets are the Chargers to cover the number here. I believe this Broncos defense is more than capable of making things difficult for Justin Herbert tonight. This Denver defense are the only reason the team has two wins on the year so far and with the Chargers missing star WR Keenan Allen tonight, it makes coverage much easier. On the flip side, I believe Denver RB’s Melvin Gordon lll and Mike Boone can keep the chains moving all night long. This porous Chargers run defense are allowing the highest yards per carry with 6.2. in a game that I believe the Broncos may outright, I’ll happily take the free +4.5 points.

Over/Under Pick:

As I mentioned above, watch for many trends to be broken in this game.  The under is 4-1 this year in games involving the Broncos. I expect both teams to have success running the football and keeping drives alive. Look for both teams to establish the run early and then start taking a couple shots downfield and open up the air attack. It may start slow, and I may be asking for too much, but I truly believe Russell Wilson throws for right around 225-250 yards and 1-2 passing touchdowns. Likewise, Justin Herbert should have his moments and I believe this over will hit late in the 4^th quarter, maybe even on the final drive of the game.

TOP Prop:

Brandon McManus and Dustin Hopkins are both top 10 legs in the NFL and will be counted on tonight. While I do see both offenses waking up in this game, I expect it start a little slow. 1^st score to be a FG +100.

Honorable Mention:

With Javonte Williams out and Melvin Gordon lll banged up, I think there’s a chance Russ sneaks his way in to cash in a huge ticket, good luck! Russell Wilson anytime TD +650

PROPS
Prop of the Game: Michael Porter Jr. (MPJ) OVER 16.5 Points (-125)
MPJ looked back in form Sunday against the Nets. He scored 23 points, and made 3 threes. With Jamal Murray drawing the questionable tag as ‘injury management’, MPJ could be asked to shoulder more scoring. His threes attempts have been lower recently, and the points are the safer option.

Pascal Siakam OVER 21.5 Points (-125)
Siakam has not been scoring as much as of late, failing to reach the prop’s over in his last six games. The Raptors have had only two home games since the all star break, and been on the road for seven of their last eight games… including the last five in a row. He averages 24.4 points per game, and the Nuggets are simply not playing defense at the moment. Siakam should score his average or more tonight.

Nikola Jokic OVER 12.5 Rebounds (-120)
Jokic has been a rebounding machine as of late, earning 11 or more in every game since the all star break. He has dominated Jakob Poeltl in previous games, and should be a force in the paint again. He has been playing well and it should continue today.

SAME GAME PARLAY (SGP)
MPJ 15+ Points, Jokic > 11.5 Rebounds, Siakam > 19.5 Points, TOR +9.5 (+320) .5 Unit
The Props have all been teased down, to cover any prop falling short. The Raptors spread has been teased up to the max, 9.5 points. This teased, four leg parlay comes out to good odds and could hit even if the props mentioned above do not.

Bet Smart, Be Lucky – Iggy
All bets to be placed at 1 Unit unless specified otherwise.

PROPS
PROP OF THE DAY: Nikola Jokic OVER 12.5 Rebounds (-115)
Jokic’s Rebounds have taken a dip as of late. The All-Star center has failed to grab 11 or more boards in his last three games. However, he did grab 20 rebounds against the Nets last week, and Brooklyn allows 45.33 rebounds per game against their opponents. Jokic should be in line for a good rebounding day.

Michael Porter Jr. (MPJ) OVER 2.5 Threes (-115)
Although it is not the automatic winner it was in February and early March, MPJ is back to shooting on the perimeter more. He made three in the game yesterday, and three against the Nets last week. Even in back to back games MPJ’s minutes should not go down, allowing for at least 7 attempts behind the arc. Play this bet with confidence.

Spencer Dinwiddie OVER 18.5 Points (-115)
Dinwiddie has gone under this point total in his last three games, including against the Nuggets last week. However, he was very aggressive in that game and had numerous open looks. He is quicker than the Nuggets guards, and should get this line on his home court.

Same Game Parlay (SGP)
Dinwiddie 18+ Points, MPJ 3+ Threes made, Jokic 12+ Rebounds (+280)
The Same Game Parlay option could serve well. The odds drop a little, but spending 1 unit as opposed to three is also wise. The SGP also benefits from the loss of the hook on Dinwiddie and Jokic’s props.

Bet Smart, Be Lucky -Iggy-
All Bets to be placed at 1 Unit unless specified otherwise.

PROPS
Prop of the Day Nikola Jokic Triple Double (+120)
N. Jokic will be demonstrating why he should be the front runner for the MVP, while Joel Embiid likely will be on the bench. What an opportunity to display his case then against Embiid’s team. It’s always a risky bet going for the triple double, but Jokic should have little in his way for this accomplishment.

Jamal Murray OVER 20.5 Points (-105) 
Murray has gone over this in his last three of four games. The point line is at 229.5 points and a 7 point spread for the Nuggets, so someone will need to score those points. Murray is really getting in rhythm and lighting it up in burst. He should reach the 21 points needed for this prop at near even odds.

Same Game Parlay (SGP) DEN ML, Murray OVER 17.5 Points, Jokic OVER 10.5 Rebounds (+200)
A teased three leg same game parlay could be the better option for tonight. Murray’s points have been teased down to a 17.5, 3 below his average. Jokic’s rebounds have been teased down as well. This is simply to cover in case the MVP doesn’t see as many minutes in the fourth quarter. The moneyline is thrown on for fantastic two for one odds.

Bet Smart, Be Lucky – Iggy
All Bets to be placed at 1 unit unless specified otherwise.

2023 MLB Season Preview:

A new MLB Season is upon us and is set to be absolutely incredible. After an offseason that saw some of the best pitchers in the game change teams, contract dramas, new rules, and an amazing World Baseball Classic there is no shortage of storylines. With that, there are going to be incredible opportunities for future bets this season. Keep reading for the DSB Crews’ Top MLB Preseason Bets.

The league is going to look a lot different this season with a whole new set of rules. One of the big ones to watch out for this season is the addition of a pitch timer. There will be a 15-second timer with bases empty, and 20 seconds with runners. Violations will lead to a ball or strike depending on the violation.

We have already seen this new rule be used to decide at-bats and games so far in Spring Training. It is going to be interesting to see who can adjust quickly.

One of the more controversial rules is the banning of the shift. Infielders are now forced to have two players on both sides of second base, and they have to have both feet on the dirt at pitch release.

In one of the worst seasons in MLB history in terms of batting average, this rule is designed to lead to more hits, and therefore more runs.

With all of that said, the rules combined with the number of star players changing teams this year has led to a new season set to amaze.

From deGrom going to the Rangers, to Correa failing to sign with two different teams and ending up back in Minnesota, a power balance in the MLB might be coming.

Continue reading for some of our favorite plays going into this season.

DSB Crews’ Top MLB Preseason Bets:

Favorite Division Winner:

Brison’s Pick: San Diego Padres +120

The Padres had a really impressive offseason, locking up stars Manny Machado and Yu Darvish to long-term contracts, and extending Jake Cronenworth and Juan Soto to one-year deals. They will also be getting Super Star Fernando Tatis Jr. back after missing him all of last season due to injuries. Despite missing Tatis and getting Soto halfway through the season, they still made the playoffs. With the Dodgers losing some key pieces this offseason, expect the Padres to be competitive in the NL West.

Anthony’s Pick: Philadelphia Phillies +400

If you’re looking for a dog to win a division, look no further than Philly. For a team coming off a World Series appearance, they are being heavily disrespected by oddsmakers here. This team proved that they could rack up wins when needed, especially against division opponents. They proved they are a better team than the Braves, beating them in the NL Divisional Series, 4-1.  With the addition of perennial All-Star Trea Turner, Philadelphia is geared up to make a division title run.

Alex’s Pick: St. Louis Cardinals -125

Lets face it. The Cardinals are the only team in the division who is not rebuilding. The Cardinals offense is loaded, especially in the outfield, as Dylan Carlson, Tyler O’Neill and Lars Nootbaar are all solid, above-average players. The Cardinals starting rotation is just good enough to get it done, with Miles Mikolas, Jack Flaherty, Adam Wainwright, Steven Matz and Jordan Montgomery all in the mix. With Goldschmidt and Arenado leading the charge, I have my money on the Redbirds to take the NL Central.

Favorite Win Total:

Brison’s Pick: Rockies Over 65.5 Wins +100

This pick may get laughs from some, but everyone needs to remember that the Rockies hit over this mark last season in a season where their big off-season signing Kris Bryan was basically hurt all season. Star pitcher German Marquez also had a huge down season. While they did not make any major moves in the initial start of free agency, they made sneaky good moves during Spring Training by signing Infielder Mike Moustakas, Pitcher Brad Hand, and Outfielder Jurickson Profar. One player to watch out for is young stud Ezequiel Tovar stepping into a starting role this season.

Anthony’s Pick: Chicago White Sox Over 83.5 Wins –105

Coming off an incredibly disappointing year, I think Chicago is the dark horse of the AL. With one of the better starting rotations in the division and big power bats such as Tim Anderson and Luis Robert Jr, the Sox are a threat to any team. Getting rid of Tony La Russa will help this club out tremendously. With the big off-season acquisition of Andrew Benintendi, there should be plenty of traffic on the base paths for the sluggers in the middle of the lineup. I see Chicago right around the 90-win mark and competing with the Guardians for the division.

Alex’s Pick: Cleveland Guardians Over 86.5 Wins –115

After winning 92 games last season and coming within one game of the American League Championship Series, the Guardians are primed for another successful campaign. The core of last season’s team is back in 2023 and the addition of Josh Bell should fortify the offense. There is plenty to be excited about with this Cleveland squad and with a proven manager, Jose Ramirez and Shane Bieber, they should unquestionably surpass their win total of 86.5.

Favorite Regular Season Leader:

Brison’s Pick: Aaron Judge Leads League in HRs +500

He only broke the American League Record last season and is coming back to the team that gives him the best chance to repeat and lead the league in Home Runs again. It is no secret he gets an automatic boost in his number by playing 81 games in New York, coupled with some other hitter-friendly ballparks in his division.

Anthony’s Pick: Gerrit Cole Leads MLB in Strikeouts +562

With Cole’s electric fastball and devasting off-speed, Cole ranks 7^th in swinging strike percentage among qualified starters. Combining that with his great control, Cole is a strike throwing machine. Last year, Cole led all of MLB starters with 257 strikeouts, 14 more than second place finisher Corbin Burnes. All signs point to Cole having an even better season this year, a no-brainer to lead the Bigs in strikeouts.

Alex’s Pick: Bo Bichette Leads MLB in Hits +700

Bichette has played in 159 games in each of the last two seasons and racked up 191 hits in 2021 and tallied 189 hits in 2022. Bichette is as consistent as they get and should be right around the 200-hit mark again in 2023. The only player with better odds for most hits is Trea Turner at +350. The consistency of Bichette and the tremendous betting value makes this bet my favorite for any regular season leader bet.

Favorite Award:

Brison’s Pick: Spencer Strider NL Cy Young +950

Coming off his first full season as a starter, and it could not have gone much better than it did. Going 11-5 with a 2.67 ERA as a rookie is incredible. One of the things he has going for him is the fact that the Braves will be competing to be one of the best teams in the MLB, so if he can produce a similar ERA and WHIP as he did a year ago, and add five or more wins it is not unreasonable to imagine him winning the award.

Anthony’s Pick: Anthony Volpe AL Rookie of the Year +475

Rookie shortstop hailing from the state of New Jersey starting for the New York Yankees. Hmm, where have I heard that one before? Volpe will be the first rookie shortstop to start for the Yanks since Jeter in ‘96. Coming into the season, he is the #5 prospect, according to MLB.com. Volpe showcases stellar defense on the left side of the infield, while bringing a value stick with some pop. He will also be padded by a stacked Yankees lineup that should help with some of the rookie jitters. As long as he can outperform the other rookie shortstop in the AL East, Gunnar Henderson, Volpe has a great shot to bring home the hardware.

Alex’s Pick: Shohei Ohtani AL MVP +190

What can I say. This guy is not from this planet. Fresh off a spectacular World Baseball Classic, where he won the MVP and slashed .435/.606/.739 and pitched 9 2/3 innings with a 1.86 ERA and 11 strikeouts, Ohtani should pick up right where he left off once the regular season begins. After winning the award in 2021 and finishing second to Aaron Judge in 2022, Ohtani is rightfully the favorite for 2023. If Ohtani stays healthy, it will take a historic effort to take the AL MVP award from him.

Favorite World Series Winner:

Brison’s Pick: Atlanta Braves +750

The Braves come into the season with arguably one of the best pitching staffs in the MLB this season. Their rotation alone is going to compete to have the best in the league with Strider, Freid, and Morton. Even after losing star Shortstop Dansby Swanson, they still have plenty of firepower offensively to win them games.

Anthony’s Pick:  New York Yankees +850

While I might catch some slack for this pick, I truly do believe the stars will align for them this year. Re-signing Aaron Judge and picking up Carlos Rodon were the defining moves of the off-season. When all their pitchers are healthy, they offer the best rotation in all of baseball. The key for this team will be to stay healthy and consistent. If they are able to, they should easily win the division and finally subdue the Astros en route to their 28^th World Series title.

Alex’s Pick:  Toronto Blue Jays +1300

The Blue Jays are coming off a 2022 season in which, despite making the playoffs, they underachieved, considering the lofty expectations placed on the team. However, bettors and fans should have renewed optimism around this year’s club, as it looks to be stronger than last year’s. Chris Bassitt was added to the starting rotation and Dalton Varsho will provide some lineup flexibility. The Blue Jays offense and power potential should help the pitching staff as the season rolls along. With all eyes on the Astros and Yankees in the American League, I like Toronto at 13/1 odds to win the Fall Classic.