This edition of Bookie Busters is special to me; the holidays are here, and I feel like we really built something special. This article will carry us through Christmas, so cheers my friends, here's to a prosperous holiday!
Im in the zone...
Previous Plays
Celtics -11.5 1U -1.1
Warriors -3.5 1U -1.1
River first half O +5
Game over 2.5 +5
River -1 -6.1
Live over 3.5 +2
Hoff/Werder Bremen Both teams score and over 2.5 5U MAX BOMB -6.4
First half over 1.5 1U -1.1
Hoffenheim/ Bremen Game over 3 3U -3.4
Draw +330 risk 1/2 unit +350 +1.75
1U Parlay -
1B Munich ML -155
Hoff game over 3
Sixers 3rd Q over 29.5 5U +5
Bucks/Pelicans over 124.fH 5U +5
Bucks/Pelicans
3rd q over 55.5 5U MAX -5.5
Blazers -5.5 1U +1
Oklahoma City Thunder at Sacramento Kings
first half over 118.5 2U +2
+1U Midweek action was a little slow, and we caught fire in the NBA on Wednesday night.
The last article read +235.9 +1= +236.9 Not much, but a positive we will take
Here we come
New Plays
NCAA 12/21
Toledo -4 first half 1U
UPDATE
BORUSSIA DORTMUND VS BORUSSIA MONCHENGLADBACH
Game over 3 3U MAX
BTTS and over 2.5 3U MAX
Dortmund TT over 2 5U BOMB
Dortmund ML 2U
UPDATE 12/22 208 CST
Army-6.5 2U
UPDATE 507 CST
Troy+1 3U MAX
UPDATE
Pitt TT over 24.5 5U MAX
UPDATE
Parlay 1U
Bears -2 2nd half
Rams -4.5 2nd half
UPDATE 435 CST
Bears -2 2nd half 5U
Rams -4.5 5U 2nd half
UPDATE 504 CST
Pitt/NO
2nd half over 27 5 U BOMB (-120)
UPDATE
the kidney and gallbladder plays
Sea TT over 26.5 The Mamba BANGER 8U BOMB...
Over 54.5 5U BOMB
2nd half over 27 5U MAX
UPDATE 12/25 135 CST
Thunder TT over 56 first half 2U
UPDATE 425 CST
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS @ BOSTON CELTICS
first half over 115 2U
UPDATE
Halftime
Celtics TT over 112.5 5U
Lakers/Warriors
Over 228.5 5U MAX
Parlay 1U
Over 228
Jazz -3.5 First half
For any questions or comments reach me @JerryBoKnowz Twitter.
Be sure to check out my show MoneyLine with Josh Jordan on ESPN 97.5. We're on every Sunday from 10-noon, and we'll talk a lot of fantasy football and NFL gambling. Also, be sure to follow us @Moneyline975on Twitter.
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With the Astros now officially ten games under .500 for the season, manager Joe Espada is taking a lot of heat from the fanbase for the team's struggles.
While we don't agree with the sentiment, we even hear fans clamoring for the return of Dusty Baker and Martin Maldonado, thinking the Astros wouldn't be in this mess if they were still here.
Which is ridiculous. First of all, Maldonado has been awful for the White Sox, hitting .048 (even worse than Jose Abreu's .065). And for those of you that think his work with the pitching staff justifies his pathetic offense. Let me say this: Where was Maldy's game calling genius for Hunter Brown, Cristian Javier, and Framber Valdez last year? All of them regressed significantly.
And as far as Baker is concerned, we have no idea how much a difference he would make, we can only speculate. Baker would also be dealing with a pitching staff ravaged with injuries. And let's not forget, Baker was the guy that refused to move Jose Abreu down in the batting order, even though he would finish the regular season with the ninth-worst OPS in baseball.
The reality of the situation is managers can only do so much in baseball. Which leads us to something else that needs to be considered. Is Espada being handcuffed by the front office? Espada and GM Dana Brown both said recently that Jon Singleton was going to get more at-bats while they give Abreu time off to try to figure things out. Yet, there Abreu was in the lineup again in the opening game of the Cubs series.
It makes us wonder how much power does Espada truly have? The Astros have some other options at first base. Yainer Diaz may only have eight games played at the position, but how much worse could he be than Abreu defensively? Abreu already has four errors, and Diaz is obviously a way better hitter. Victor Caratini isn't considered a plus offensive player, but his .276 batting average makes him look like Babe Ruth compared to Abreu. Let him catch more often and play Diaz at first. Starting Diaz at first more often could also lengthen his career long-term.
Maybe that's too wild of a move. Okay, fine. How about playing Mauricio Dubon at first base? I understand he doesn't have much experience at that position, but what's the downside of trying him there? If he can play shortstop, he can play first base. He's driving in runs at a higher rate (11 RBIs) than everyone on the team outside of Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez. And he's producing like that as part-time player right now.
The other criticism we see of Espada is his use of Jon Singleton to pinch hit late in games. Let's be real, though, who else does Espada have on the roster to go to? Batting Abreu late in games in which you're trailing should be considered malpractice. Espada can only use who he has to work with. This all really stems from the Astros poor farm system.
They don't have anyone else to turn to. The draft picks the club lost from the sign-stealing scandal are really hurting them right now. First and second rounders from 2020 and 2021 should be helping you in 2024 at the big league level.
Maybe they go to Astros prospect Joey Loperfido soon, but after a hot start he has only two hits in his last six games.
Finally, we have to talk about what seems like a committee making baseball decisions. Lost in a committee is accountability. Who gets the blame for making poor decisions?
As time continues to pass it looks like moving on from former GM James Click was a massive mistake. He's the guy that didn't sign Abreu, but did trade Myles Straw (recently DFA'd) for Yainer Diaz and Phil Maton. He also built an elite bullpen without breaking the bank, and helped the club win a World Series in 2022.
The reality of the situation is Dusty Baker and James Click are not walking back through that door. And all good runs come to an end at some point. Is this what we're witnessing?
Don't miss the video above as we hit on all the points discussed and much more!
Catch Stone Cold 'Stros (an Astros podcast) with Charlie Pallilo, Brandon Strange, and Josh Jordan. We drop two episodes every week on SportsMapHouston's YouTube channel. You can also listen on Apple Podcast, Spotifyor wherever you get your podcasts.