Category Archives: MLB

Snoop Dogg, Futura, Ron English Among Artists In ‘Project70’ Series Throughout 2021, Launching Today

On the heels of its overwhelmingly successful Project 2020, Topps today unveiled the first cards in Project70, a new series which celebrates the 70th anniversary of the first Topps baseball set in a comprehensive program featuring 51 premier artists and designers from around the world each creating 20 cards of their own player and card year design choice. The set commemorates both the initial year of 1951 and the 70 years that it has produced baseball cards, with three new issues daily, each available for 70 hours. Similar to its Topps NOW and Project 2020 products, Topps will print only the number of each card ordered in that time frame.

The set features premium, thick trading cards encased in a protective plastic case, as well as several premium offerings. Each day’s new pieces are available at http://www.topps.com/project70.

The creators selected to participate comprise a diverse group that includes the likes of rap musician Snoop Dogg, graffiti artist Futura, pop artist Ron English, jeweler Ben Baller, painter Greg ‘Craola’ Simkins, comic and album artist Alex Pardee, sneaker artist The Shoe Surgeon, designer Sophia Chang and many more. Nineteen of the 20 artists from Project 2020, including Baller, Chang, Gregory Siff, Fucci, Mister Cartoon and others return for Project70.

In contrast to Project 2020, in which artists were assigned specific player cards to interpret, Project70 allows each creator to choose any player and card design from the last seven decades.

“Project70 is one of our most ambitious sets ever, celebrating 70 years of Topps baseball cards in a contemporary way,” said Jeff Heckman, Global Director of Ecommerce. “Giving these creators the freedom to select the players and designs they want to interpret as they see fit means we will have very different cards from these uniquely and diversely talented individuals.

“We can’t wait to see what their fertile minds will produce, and we know that collectors and baseball fans share that anticipation,” Heckman added.

In addition to the base units, Topps is randomly inserting a limited number of rainbow foil parallel cards, numbered to 70, plus a foil numbered 1/1 Gold Frame for each card, into print runs. Collectors who purchase all 20 cards from an artist will also receive a gold-stamped bonus print featuring all 20 Project70 cards from that artist.

The artists contributing to Project70 include:

Action Bronson, musician, New York
Alex Pardee, comics/apparel, Los Angeles
*Andrew Thiele, art/design, New York
*Ben Baller, jeweler, Los Angeles
*Blake Jamieson, pop art/portraits, New York
Blue the Great, painting, Los Angeles
Bobby Hundreds, illustrator/writer/photographer, Los Angeles
Brittney Palmer, model/artist, Los Angeles
CES, graffiti, Bronx, New York
Chinatown Market, streetwear, Los Angeles
Chuck Styles, fine art, Philadelphia
Claw Money, public art, New York
Distortedd, illustrations, Philadelphia
DJ Skee, artist/TV host, Los Angeles
*Don C, streetwear, Chicago
*Efdot, murals, New York
*Ermsy, cartoons, UK and Paris
*Fucci, pop painting, Montreal and Toronto
FUTURA, graffiti, New York
Greg “Craola” Simkins, surrealism, Los Angeles
*Gregory Siff, painting, Brooklyn and Los Angeles
Infinite Archives, contemporary art, fashion
*Jacob Rochester, pop art, Los Angeles
Jeff Staple, graphic and fashion designer, New York
*JK5, tattoo, Brooklyn
Jonas Never, murals, Los Angeles
*Joshua Vides, stencils, Los Angeles
*Keith Shore, creative design, Philadelphia
*King Saladeen, murals, Philadelphia
Lauren Taylor, mixed media, Vancouver
Matt McCormick, multimedia, Los Angeles
*Matt Taylor, poster design, U.K.
Mikael B, graffiti, impressions, Copenhagen
Mimsbandz, wristband art, Los Angeles
*Mister Cartoon, tattoos, Los Angeles
Morning Breath, graphics, apparel, San Francisco, New York
*Naturel, murals, Washington D.C.
New York Nico, filmmaker, New York
*Oldmanalan, streetwear, Sacramento
POSE, pop artist, Chicago
Quiccs, toy design, Manila
Risk, sculpture, graffiti, Los Angeles
Ron English, pop art, filmmaker, Jersey City, N.J.
Sean Wotherspoon, streetwear, Richmond, Va.
The Shoe Surgeon, streetwear, Los Angeles
Snoop Dogg, rap musician, Los Angeles
SoleFly, streetwear, Miami
*Sophia Chang, design, New York
Toy Tokyo, pop art/toys, New York
*Tyson Beck, logo art, Adelaide, Australia
UNDEFEATED

La Vida Baseball Launches “The Year of 21” Multi-Platform Experience Dedicated To Roberto Clemente

La Vida Baseball, the leading multi-language Latino baseball lifestyle media company, today announced the launch of “The Year of 21,” a multi-platform content initiative created to inform, engage and educate fans worldwide about the life, the impact and the legacy of Roberto Clemente.

In collaboration with a range of media platforms, content creators and unique voices, “The Year of 21” will elevate the living legacy of Clemente’s humanitarian worldview, cultural impact and athletic brilliance through an unprecedented year-spanning reflection of history, current-day vitality and impact well into the future. The season-long celebration launches in April.

“For baseball fans, Roberto Clemente and his number ‘21’ are truly iconic, and the spirit of his legacy is more relevant than ever right now,” La Vida Baseball Managing Director Jesse Menendez said. “2021 is the right moment to elevate and celebrate everything Clemente stands for. Using the entire “The Year of 21” to elevate his legacy is something La Vida Baseball, its platforms, its partners and its community are built to execute better than anyone.”

“On behalf of the Clemente family, we’re excited to be partnered with La Vida Baseball for ‘The Year of 21,’ Roberto Clemente, Jr. said. “We’ve had a great relationship with La Vida Baseball since they launched years ago and they are the right partner to continue our father’s legacy and build upon the growing positive movement of what the number 21 signifies through stories that involve fans, celebrities and generations around the world.”

La Vida Baseball has been acquiring exclusive content assets, securing commitments – headlined by full support of the Clemente Family – and conducting more than 100 in-depth interviews with current and former MLB players, fellow Hall of Famers, star-struck celebrity fans, Clemente family members and others to power the project.

“The Year of 21” programming lineup will include a signature documentary series, a lineup of incredible short-form films, all-star roundtables, a Mi Clemente video series, a dynamic podcast series, energizing live events, memorable regional tie-ins, limited-edition merchandise collaborations and exclusive collectibles, with even more programming elements to be released at key moments during The Year of 21. Additional media, content and sponsorship partners will be announced in the coming weeks.

The La Vida Baseball network was launched in 2017 by TeamWorks Media, the award-winning content studio, and has since become the hub of coverage and community of the Latino influence within baseball, its lifestyle, its players and its fans. La Vida Baseball has created more than a dozen content franchises featuring more than 200 current and former MLB players, baseball media and celebrity super-fans, including “Being Guillen,” featuring the family of longtime MLB star player and manager Ozzie Guillen; “Polvoro, Voz y Diamante,” a rollicking weekly Spanish-language show; the “La Vida Baseball Live” studio show; and wildly popular Instagram Stories and viral moments curated by on-air talent Jennifer Mercedes and Julie Alexandria, widely shared by MLB players and fans.

”In this time of such upheaval and social consciousness both in and out of the athletic world, there may be no more important figure to honor and recognize than Roberto Clemente, and we are excited to be able to work with the Clemente family and a growing list of partners to bring his entire story, as well as those of who he has impacted, and continues to impact to life,” TeamWorks Media CEO Jay Sharman said. “In all our work, we have seen the reverence and respect athletes from all walks of life, and especially Latino athletes, have for Roberto, and we feel that ‘The Year of 21’ will expand the celebration and appreciation of Roberto Clemente to an even wider, cross-generation audience.”

Clemente, the Hall of Fame outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates and one of the most inspiring athletes in modern history. Clemente’s charity work in Latin American and Caribbean countries during the off-seasons, especially his work in his native Puerto Rico with young people, was what he may be best remembered for. On December 31, 1972, he lost his life in a plane crash at the age of 38 while attempting to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. The following season, the Pirates retired his uniform number 21, and MLB renamed its annual Commissioner’s Award in his honor; now known as the Roberto Clemente Award, given to the player who “best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual’s contribution to his team.” His impact went well beyond his 3,000 hits and a myriad of other marks in and around baseball and the city of Pittsburgh. His trailblazing work for causes and in uniting peoples of different backgrounds across the Americas is even bigger, than his athletic impact.

Strat-O-Matic Expands Partnership With Negro League Baseball Museum

As Black History Month begins, Strat-O-Matic (www.strat-o-matic.com), the leader in sports simulation games now celebrating its Diamond Anniversary, is proud to announce the renewal and expansion of its partnership with the Negro League Baseball Museum (NLBM) and President Bob Kendrick. Strat-O-Matic continues to augment its selection of popular Negro League baseball roster sets, with 10% of all sales donated to the Kansas City, Mo., based museum.

Strat-O-Matic has the most robust and highly researched Negro League simulation products, now boasting more than 25 individual seasons rosters dating back to 1908, plus Stars and legendary Diamond Gems rosters. Three new rosters, 1918, 1928 and 1943, will be released on February 19 along with the rest of SOM’s current baseball card and digital sets.

“In our 60th Anniversary year, we couldn’t be more excited about extending our partnership with the Negro League Baseball Museum and we’re especially grateful to Bob Kendrick for his support and friendship,” said Adam Richman, Strat-O-Matic President. “We look forward to celebrating the 101st anniversary of the founding of the Negro Leagues throughout 2021,”

“Strat-O-Matic has been a great partner in helping further the Museum’s mission of preserving and celebrating the rich history of African-American baseball and its impact on the social advancement of America,” said Kendrick. “Members and fans often talk about what it would be like to see these players in action, and Strat-O-Matic continues to be a great way to realistically relive their performances.”

Strat-O-Matic released its first comprehensive Negro League products in 2001 with more than 100 players in the Negro League Stars set.

MLB season just weeks away as players tell owners no deal on delay

MLB team owners had hoped the start of the new season could be pushed back as the world still grapples with COVID-19. The coronavirus pandemic forced last season to be delayed just as Opening Day was about to be held, and there have been concerns that, with the virus still running wild, a similar situation could arise this year. However, MLB players, through the MLB Players Association (MLBPA), have told the owners to dig in and figure out what they need to do to protect everyone, refusing to approve any delay to the new season. 

The MLBPA has formally rejected the owners’ request for a longer break in the baseball action that had asked to push the start of spring training out to March 22 and Opening Day to April 29. With the response now given, the MLB season is only a couple of weeks away, with spring training to begin as planned on February 17 and Opening Day to be held on its expected date, April 1. Perhaps if the owners had been more willing to offer monetary incentives to players, they would have been willing to accept a deal. 

The players union explained in a statement about the upcoming schedule that everyone felt as though the owners were trying to back them into a corner. The teams were trying to shorten the season while requiring players to take the field for more doubleheaders, and were also trying to force players to accept certain collective bargaining agreement conditions the MLBPA had already refused. A statement by the union added, “Although Player salaries would not be initially prorated to a 154-game regular season, MLB’s proposal offers no salary or service time protections in the event of further delays, interruptions, or cancellation of the season. The MLBPA Executive Board and Player leadership reviewed and discussed the owners’ proposal throughout the weekend and today. The clear-cut result of these deliberations is that Players will not accept MLB’s proposal, will instead continue preparations for an on-time start to the 2021 season, and will accept MLB’s commitment to again direct its Clubs to prepare for an on-time start.”

MLB team owners were reluctant to agree to the layout and tried to present a counterproposal, which was also rejected. As a result, the league has resigned itself to the fact that the players won this round (another victory for players), and said in an announcement, “In light of the MLBPA’s rejection of our proposal, and their refusal to counter our revised offer this afternoon, we are moving forward and instructing our Clubs to report for an on-time start to Spring Training and the Championship Season, subject to reaching an agreement on health and safety protocols.”

Latino Players Have Their Say In New La Vida Baseball Show, Mas Que Un Juego

Edgar Martinez (credit: Kuyabribri)

La Vida Baseball, the nation’s leading multi-language Latino baseball lifestyle media company, is gearing up to launch its newest show Mas Que Un Juego, on Thursday, January 7, 2021 via La Vida Baseball’s (@lavidabaseball) social media platforms. The new show celebrates the Latino experience through unfiltered conversations with some of the biggest names in baseball including current and former Latino MLB players. This announcement is the first of several new content initiatives and distribution partnerships planned for 2021.

“As Latinos, it is important that we continue to shape our own narrative. Opportunities like Mas Que Un Juego help us do that,” says Luis Tiant, former Boston Red Sox pitcher.

The first captivating episode features a candid and compelling conversation on culture and identity with Hall of Famer Edgar Martinez, Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero and former MLB great, pitcher Luis Tiant.

Mas Que Un Juego is an opportunity for fans to hear the most revered figures in sports openly talk about their experiences and stories. The half-hour long episode features authentic and passionate discussions about the game of baseball and the issues that are important to Latinos and their communities. Listeners are granted unprecedented access as these players share intimate stories about their lives outside of baseball and what it means to be Latino in professional sports in the United States.

“La Vida Baseball is launching Mas Que Un Juego to reflect a time when we’re celebrating all things Latinx and taking a hard look at the lack of inclusion in the United States,” says Jesse Menendez, La Vida Baseball Managing Director. “It’s important to continuously engage the growing Latino audience in authentic ways by sharing our stories and journey – from how we arrived in the U.S., to how our upbringing in our país has shaped who we are, uplifting stories about our beloved communities and hearing how the struggles of being Latinx and immigrants applies to all of us, including pro athletes.”

La Vida Baseball host and producer Jennifer Mercedes (@LaChicaDeportes) is at the helm of this roundtable discussion. Mas Que Un Juego will air on La Vida Baseball’s (@lavidabaseball) social media platforms and LaVidaBaseball.com. The series will run throughout 2021.

For more information about La Vida Baseball and Mas Que Un Juego, please visit lavidabaseball.com.

Diamond Anniversary For Strat-O-Matic As Sports Simulation Leader Celebrates 60th

Now sixty years after Hal Richman launched the first set of Strat-O-Matic (www.strat-o-matic.com) baseball cards, the market leader in sports simulation is set to celebrate its Diamond Anniversary (how appropriate!) with a full lineup of new items, including upgraded seasons, updated popular series including Hall of Fame and Negro League sets, and branded 60th Anniversary merchandise that longtime fans and newcomers alike will enjoy.

Strat-O-Matic, which has become legendary in the gaming industry and in sports, particularly in baseball, since Richman launched that initial set in 1961, will be upgrading the 1972 and 1956 seasons, two hugely popular years based on fan feedback, to Super Advanced status, for board and digital game play, as a highlight of new products for 2021.

The company is coming off a landmark year, which saw baseball board and Windows platform sales, game product sales, Baseball 365 sales and membership all saw steep increases. The 2020 Strat-O-Matic daily baseball season simulation also brought the company unprecedented attention from popular sports and entertainment personalities and media outlets. Basketball, football and hockey board, Windows, and 365 products also saw increases in sales and interest.

“It is hard to believe that it has been 60 years since we launched our first set of baseball cards,” said Richman, Strat-O-Matic founder. “This year’s offerings will be exciting for our fans, and I’m particularly pleased to be upgrading our first-ever ‘classic’ season of 1956, as it holds a special place for me.”

In addition to the classic baseball seasons, Strat-O-Matic will introduce numerous new products to commemorate the occasion. The popular Heroes series returns for a third edition, along with the 2021 Career Historical Update, Hall of Fame 2021 for Windows and three new Negro League seasons for Windows (1918, 1928 and 1943). 

And Strat-O-Matic enthusiasts can show their fandom even more and help celebrate the anniversary with hats, t-shirts bearing the new 60th logo and the classic red game box, available in limited quantities.

Pre-orders for these products, as well as the 60-game and imagined full 2020 season sets, will begin on January 26. The Strat-O-Matic Headquarters will be closed to the public, and while pick up will be available “curbside” beginning on March 5, the company strongly encourages ordering via the strat-o-matic.com website for delivery this year.

“While it’s disappointing to not have our annual Opening Day activities that thousands have enjoyed as tradition for years,” added Richman, “we hope that making available the new seasons and products that so many have been requesting will renew everyone’s excitement for the new year as they help us celebrate.”

Strat-O-Matic, La Vida Baseball Team For ‘What-If,’ Simulated Content

Being Guillén

In more than 7000 Major League plate appearances over 16 years, Ozzie Guillén faced some of the game’s great fireballers, with his share of success. How would he have fared against intimidators like Don Drysdale, Bob Gibson and Aroldis Chapman? When the three-time All-Star and host of La Vida Baseball’s Being Guillén wanted to know, he turned to the experts at Strat-O-Matic, the market leader in sports simulation, for the answer.

Revealed on last Friday’s episode, the series of 10 simulated at bats against the three marked the start of a content partnership between La Vida Baseball, the digital media platform that celebrates the passion of Latino baseball’s past, present and future through original video, written and social content, and Strat-O-Matic, through which viewers and readers can see how some of the sport’s great “what if” moments might have turned out, as well as the results of fantasy events that only the world of Strat-O-Matic can simulate with unmatched accuracy.

“It was fun to see how I would do against guys like Drysdale, Gibson and Chapman, and it’s great that Strat-O-Matic has the tools to show us,” said Guillén, who hosts Being Guillén alongside his sons Ozzie Jr. and Oney live on Fridays at noon CT. “I think there are so many things we can do to create scenarios that fans will love to see what would have happened.”

The idea of “What If” using Strat-O-Matic data was first realized  with the Marquee Network and the Chicago Cubs this past summer, where Marquee talent Len Kasper, Jim Deshaies and Taylor McGregor looked at some of the iconic moments in team history and created alternative results that delighted fans and had some fun buzz, like Deshaies facing the 1927 Yankees. Strat-O-Matic is currently in discussions with a host of other media partners locally and nationally to reimagine other classic moments in time in baseball and other sports.

While MLB paused at the beginning of the 2020 season because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Strat-O-Matic simulated the season as it would have been played, with results published daily by dozens of media outlets. Strat-O-Matic also posted results of the shortened 60-game schedule and playoff seasons.

“The possibilities are endless with what we can simulate working with La Vida Baseball,” said Adam Richman, Strat-O-Matic president. “From ‘what if’ player and game situations to imagined international tournaments and customized leagues, we look forward to tapping the creativity of La Vida’s personalities and fans to create content that they will enjoy.”

Sabathia Documentary To Debut December 22

credit: Wikimedia Commons/Arturo Pardavilla III

by Alex Perel, special to TheDailyPayoff

HBO and MLB announced this week a documentary about baseball legend CC Sabathia, entitled The Grapefruit Tree: The CC Sabathia Story, to premiere on December 22. The doc will cover Sabathia’s life growing up in Vallejo, California, to his final days with the New York Yankees. MLB is licensing exclusive footage taken from Sabathia’s last year with the Yankees in 2019, when a film crew followed him for special behind-the-scenes coverage.

The latter stages of Sabathia’s career were particularly challenging, as he battled personal issues and a well-documented bout with alcoholism. The All-Star starter overcame his troubles to return to the Yankees as an effective veteran presence on a younger team. In a statement to promote the announcement, Sabathia noted the emotional tone of the project: “I struggled for a long time with alcohol addiction and anxiety, which I pretty much hid from everyone I knew. It’s my hope we can inspire athletes and non-athletes alike to open up … You are not alone.”

Sabathia is one of the great starting pitchers of the 21st century, having amassed 251 wins and 3,093 strikeouts over his time with the Cleveland Indians, Milwaukee Brewers, and Yankees. He was the 2007 American League Cy Young and won the 2009 World Series with New York.

The HBO documentary is a continuation of Sabathia’s post-career efforts into media. He currently has a podcast on The Ringer with Ryan Ruocco entitled “R2C2.” They cover the Yankees, the greater baseball landscape, and all general sports topics of interest to Sabathia, such as his long-time fandom for the Oakland Raiders. Sabathia also frequently appears as a guest on ESPN’s “First Take.” He is an example of the modern athlete’s proactive approach toward player driven media.

NBA stars have typically been at the forefront of the movement, including Kyrie Irving, a key investor in Players Media Group, JJ Redick, who hosts the podcast “The Old Man and the Three,” and LeBron James, founder of media empire The Springhill Company. Sabathia is perhaps baseball’s largest figure in this arena. He is also a special advisor to Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman and is often seen at New York’s home games. His dual roles with the team and as a sportscaster have positioned him as a form of insider into the current state of the Yankees and Major League Baseball.

After first airing on HBO, the documentary will be made immediately available on HBO Max. HBO Max has been growing its exclusive content over the last several months. The service has debuted Max Originals such as The Flight Attendant and new video on-demand availability for Warner Brothers films such as Wonder Woman 1984. The Grapefruit Tree helps build out HBO Sports’ contributions to the service. HBO Max recently added unscripted show The Cost of Winning to go along with staple shows “Hard Knocks” and UNINTERRUPTED’s “The Shop.”

Sports is an ever growing niche genre for streaming services to differentiate themselves. The level of athletes and brands a service is able to bring in greatly defines what the service can provide consumers looking for sports content. For HBO Max, the Sabathia documentary is another significant entry into this foray.

JD Duarte sees a big future for NFL in Latin America

The gambling industry has been a driven fan engagement in new markets for global brands, and the NFL is no exception. Betcris CEO JD Duarte is excited by the future of the NFL in the Latin American market, and he sat down with our very own Becky Liggero Fontana to share his excitement of giving America’s favourite past time exposure into South America.

While Latin America is still considered to be an emerging market by most major sports brands and gambling operators, it continues to show massive potential for engagement. Duarte believes that sports betting has yet to fully explode in the region as people consider sports betting still to be a novelty for entertainment in the region.

Duarte believes that the NFL is the perfect product to change people’s perceptions of sports betting. “The NFL is probably one of the most entertaining sports to watch on TV,” he said. “The whole situational aspect of what’s going to happen next makes it a really great sport for live betting.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IetJvfX1cVc&feature=youtu.beVideo can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: JD Duarte sees a big future for NFL in Latin America (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IetJvfX1cVc&feature=youtu.be)

Turn off the lights and tarp the field, the 2020 World Series is over

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.

Tampa Upends Los Angeles In Six Games In Strat-O-Matic’s 2020 World Series Simulation

Credit : All-Pro Reels Photography

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.”

Each round’s series results are below; fans can see recaps for each contest at https://www.strat-o-matic.com/announcements/2020-world-series-simulation/.

2020 Strat-O-Matic Baseball World Series Results:

Game 1: Tampa Bay 5, Los Angeles 4

Game 2: Los Angeles 3, Tampa Bay 1

Game 3: Tampa Bay 6, Los Angeles 5

Game 4: Los Angeles 2, Tampa Bay 0

Game 5: Tampa Bay 6, Los Angeles 1

Game 6: Tampa Bay 7, Los Angeles 2

Dodgers Heavily Favored Over Rays In World Series Odds Posted By MyBookie

Credit: Flickr/MaxMena

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

Rays Win Series: +160
Dodgers Win Series: -220

RAYS VS DODGERS – WHEN WILL SERIES FINISH?

GAME 4 +550
GAME 5 +250
GAME 6 +200
GAME 7 +200

MLB World Series odds & betting preview

Odds courtesy of OddsShark.com

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.

Chicago’s Goose Island Beer Company To Be Presenting Sponsor of La Vida Baseball’s “Being Guillén”

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.

The MLB World Series picture is coming into focus

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.

Vegas casino mogul close to losing huge million-dollar bets

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.”

Cubs Take Down Yankees In Strat-O-Matic’s 2020 Baseball Playoff Simulation

Anthony Rizzo (credit: Arturo Pardavillo III)

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.

2020 Strat-O-Matic Baseball Playoff Simulation Results:

A.L. Wild Card Round
Toronto 2, Tampa Bay 1
New York 2, Cleveland 0
Minnesota 2, Houston 0
Chicago 2, Oakland 0

N.L. Wild Card
Los Angeles 2, Milwaukee 0
San Diego 2, St. Louis 1
Chicago 2, Miami 1
Atlanta 2, Cincinnati 1

A.L. Division Series
New York 3, Toronto 1
Minnesota 3, Chicago 1

N.L. Division Series
San Diego 3, Los Angeles 2
Chicago 3, Atlanta 1

Championship Series
New York 4, Minnesota 1
Chicago 4, San Diego 1

World Series
Chicago 4, New York 3

MLB base-stealing legend Lou Brock passes away

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. 

The fun MLB season that almost wasn’t

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. 

TOPPS Celebrates Silver Anniversary Of Ripken’s Streak Record Breaker

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.”