GAMBLING GUIDE

Jerry Bo's Bookie Busters: Forgive me, bookies

Jerry Bo's Bookie Busters: Forgive me, bookies
Yes. These picks are on fire. Matthew Lewis/Getty Images

I was taught "Don't ask questions, ask for forgiveness," so sportsbooks and bookies around the world; forgive me. The previous edition of the Bookie Busters Money Machine read...

On fire!!! A +23 Unit run in 2 days. Welcome to the Machine.

That's all that can be said for the run we are on the past two days. Max plays hitting at over 80 percent, and regular plays are also hot.

Firenado - is said to be similar in appearance to a tornado made out of fire, and that is what we've been as of late. Dangerous results.

Add to that +23 2-day run, and we went 15-4 in a 3-day span of MAX plays, once again giving the books a headache. If played correctly, followers could have enjoyed about a + 45 unit run last week. Never risking more than 5U on a play.

Now we say if, and there's an emphasis on that. I've received quite a bit of private messages asking about bankroll management and people telling me they're disappointed in their results in a way as they feel they weren't maximizing their returns. Some were caught up in betting too much into early games and didn't have enough to cash throughout the day. Others found themselves investing in MLB games between matches conclusively tying up their cash and prohibiting them to bet correctly.

Getting the side right is only part of the journey; know your plan and execute it, don't get sidetracked and tied to other games causing you to miss the moment to capitalize.

Wednesday
Copa Argentina
Rafaela vs Lanus   
Over 2       2U

UPDATED 8/22   1:15 PM

South America Copa Sudamericana

Cali vs Quito 

Over 1.5 MAX

Over 2  MAX 

 


MAX play for today ready for liftoff, I will be releasing it at a random time today, stay updated!

For any questions or comments reach me @JerryBoknowz on Twitter.

Be sure to check out my new 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  @Moneyline975  on Twitter.


 

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Can Ronel Blanco and Hunter Brown build on last season? Composite Getty Image.

Pharrell Williams is ringing in my ears. Why? Because I’m happy of course (2013 music reference)! Less than one week to spring training opening for the Astros in West Palm Beach. The pitchers and catchers are required to report a few days before the rest. A number of guys among the rest will arrive early, but let’s focus on some pitcher/catcher issues. Catchers first.

We know Yainer Diaz is the primary starter, with Victor Caratini a solid complement in the final year of his two-year contract. Diaz had a fine season overall in his first as the primary backstop, but he has a couple of clear areas that need improvement if stardom is to be on his horizon. His pitch-framing metrics were poor. Maybe it’s as simple as more experience under the belt improving them. At the plate, Yainer brings major value for what he does when doing it as a catcher. Still, to be a bonafide great offensive catcher, Diaz needs to rediscover more of the home run power he displayed as a rookie. In 2023 Diaz smashed 23 home runs in 355 at bats. In 2024 he had 230 more at bats, and hit seven fewer home runs. He had a 30-game midseason homer drought (immediately after going deep in four consecutive games), and then went the final 31 games of the season (29 plus the two playoff losses) without clearing a fence. Diaz did bat .309 over those 61 games so it’s not as if he turned into Martin Maldonado, but you want more sock from a guy batting fourth or fifth in the lineup. Diaz’s slugging percentage tumbled from .531 to .448. Among catchers overall, 16 homers and the .766 OPS he posted in 2024 is fine, but that is not a great offensive player overall. The other area where Yainer needs a step up is plate discipline. With his 585 at bats last year he walked only a pitiful 24 times. As a result, despite his excellent .299 batting average Diaz’s on-base percentage was just .325. Jon Singleton posted a .321 OBP while batting .234.

Caratini is a solid pro whose switch-hitting adds flexibility. He was sensational as a pinch-hitter albeit in just 19 at bats (8-19, .421). Manager Joe Espada has some playing time juggling to do. Free agent signee Christian Walker will play almost every day at first base when healthy. Diaz or Caratini getting starts there will be very limited. Yordan Alvarez targeted for fewer starts in left field gobbles up more designated hitter games. However Jose Altuve winds up splitting his defensive time between second base and left field, closing in on his 35th birthday in May, using him at DH about once per week would make sense.

On the mound, barring injury the starting rotation is set. Off of their 2024 performances Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown, and Ronel Blanco are as solid a one-two-three punch as there is in the American League. Only unanimously-voted American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal posted a better qualifying earned run average (2.39) than Blanco’s 2.80 and Valdez’s 2.91. After tweaking his arsenal following an atrocious opening seven-start stretch to his season, Brown posted a 2.46 ERA the rest of the way. Framber may have a couple hundred million dollars riding on his 2025 performance as barring an extension he heads toward free agency. Will Brown and Blanco’s performance hold up after each set professional career highs in innings pitched? The fourth rotation spot initially goes to Spencer Arrighetti, who showed much promise pitching to a 3.18 ERA after the All-Star break. Kyle Tucker trade acquisition Hayden Wesneski has first dibs on the fifth spot. The Cy-Fair high school grad and Sam Houston State product flashes some solid stuff, but absolutely must do a better job keeping his pitches in the ballpark. In 190 big league innings pitched Wesneski has been hammered for 35 home runs. In 2024 he showed so improvement in that area yielding 12 dingers in 67 2/3 innings.

The two sure things so far as bullpen roles are concerned are Josh Hader and Bryan Abreu. Hader’s seasons in one word from 2020-2024: Meh, stupendous, atrocious, phenomenal, mediocre. The odd years have been the fabulous ones. Abreu moves up the totem pole with the salary dump (eight and a half of 14 million anyway) trade of Ryan Pressly. After Hader and Abreu most tickets are punched. Tayler Scott, Kaleb Ort, Forrest Whitley, and Bryan King all figure to have spots. The 32-year-old Scott faded over the last two months after having blown away anything he’d done previously in MLB. The 33-year-old Ort also way outpitched his prior big league resume. Former mega-prospect Whitley is out of minor league options, and opportunity knocks. King appears the only definitely makes the club lefty reliever.

Spring training doors open next week. Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!


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