The Basement View

  The All-MLB Team is now in its third year of being a “legitimate” award that players should be awarded after the marathon of 162. The All-MLB Team to me is where WAR was in year three of being an official stat. The team is there but nobody really pays attention to it. Except me. As a HUGE baseball nerd, I think the All-MLB Team should be taken as seriously as the All-NBA or All-Pro Teams in the NBA and NFL. These are the best of the best players in a given year. That matters . If you don’t think so, rethink having any awards at all. With that said, here is my All-MLB Team for the 2021 season: (One tiny footnote, this team is according to who I think deserves to be awarded not selected from the finalist on MLB.com) 1 st Team Catcher: Salvador Perez Perez’ season is the best offensive season by a catcher in the history of the league. Don’t believe me? He broke Carlton Fisk’s home run record by a catcher in a single season and has played all but one game! He led the league in ho...

 This week made me double check almost every spread. There are plenty of stinky lines that make no sense to me. This is a week Vegas pays a lot of money back to the public, here are my picks on a free money week! Locks for Week 8:  L.A. Rams (-16.5) in Houston  Tennessee (+2.5) in Indianapolis  Washington (+3.5) in Denver  Dallas (+3) in Minnesota 

  Game One of the World Series was like a grand master chess game. Game One had an old timey feel to it. The Braves stole home field and took a 1-0 series lead; however, they lose Charlie Morton for the rest of the World Series with a broken leg which is big for Houston later in the series. The Braves cool off the hot Houston bats but had to use five pitchers including using A.J. Minter for 2.2 innings and 41 pitches—both season highs for Minter. It was a fantastic way to open the World Series. As good as the game was, this game is on Dusty Baker. Baker left Framber Valdez in for the third inning when Valdez didn’t have his A stuff that we saw in Game Five in Boston. Of the 15 batters Valdez faced 10 of them hit the ball harder than 94 MPH, which is extremely hard contact, he was not fit for the task he was given.  Valdez had no business being in the game in the third inning. I don’t mean to pile on Baker who has been the subject of bullpen mismanagement in the World Series be...

 The mojo is ALL messed up. I don't know what to do. These past two weeks have felt like the Hulk  shaking a snow globe with me in it. Anyway, let's get back on track this week! Locks:  Washington (+7.5) @ Green Bay  Tennessee (+5) at home against Kansas City  Philadelphia (+3) @ Las Vegas  Indianapolis (+4.5) @ San Francisco on Sunday Night Football 

  Exactly three months have passed from the Milwaukee Bucks eliminating the Brooklyn Nets on the Nets home floor in an overtime thriller that saw two of the greatest performances from two of the game’s brightest stars. Three months later, the only things that have changed are the location and the margin of victory. Opening night means nothing in the grand scheme of things, unless you’re raising a banner. An opening night loss doesn’t mean your season is in trouble. What is troubling for the Brooklyn Nets is that the Bucks looked better than them again last night. The same short comings from last season were apparent last night in Milwaukee. The defense is still lacking when the offense needs a stop, turnovers are still ending runs that can be game changing, and the Nets are still searching for a rim protector that can slow down dominate post players while also grabbing rebounds. The Nets shot better from three (53.1% to 37.8%) than Milwaukee, and you’re not going to shoot better t...

  Aaron Boone is back for three more years… For now. With the new CBA looming the actual dollar amount has not been announced, but the man who is currently 9 th in wins in franchise history, the proverbial Yankee punching bag is back! Whether you agree with the decision or not, Boone all things considered is the right man for the job right now. Brian Cashman said if Boone wasn’t the manager in 2022 “we’d want someone like him” and “if he was a free agent he’d be the number one managerial candidate.” Cashman confirmed what I thought and a lot of people around baseball have thought: if not Aaron Boone than who? Cashman’s first words today were about Boone’s ability to connect, communicate, and have an open mind. All things every manager has to have in the game right now. Boone isn’t the first manager or the last to be criticized for his use of analytics. But to truly understand this hire take a look around the rest of baseball. Kevin Cash has been openly questioned in Tampa by the m...

 At 37-29 overall it is time to get the locks in order and get 10 games over even overall.  Here are this weeks picks and the locks are:  1. Washington (+2) against New Orleans  2. Denver (+1) at Pittsburgh  3. New York Giants (+7) at Dallas  4. Tennessee (-4) at Jacksonville Use these picks to win money and make your Sunday that much better. 

  Xander Bogaerts was the grave digger for the Yankees tonight. He got the party started in Fenway with a two-run homer in the first inning and made the biggest play of the game cutting down Aaron Judge on a relay throw to the plate to end the Yankees in the 6 th inning. Bogaerts did not play well down the stretch for the Red Sox, but he showed up when it mattered most. Gerrit Cole for the Bombers did not show up in this game last just three batters into the third inning giving up three runs and leaving with runners on first and second. Phil Nevin's send of Judge his in the 6 th allowing Judge to get gunned at the plate is the worst send of his career and should be questioned if he is the man to have the third base coaching job. The momentum completely shifted into Boston’s favor after that—and the Red Sox coasted. Alex Cora gave the Yankees a gift taking Eovaldi out after a Judge base hit that didn’t leave the infield—Nevin gave it right back. This season has a roller coaster of...

  Watching the Jets yesterday, IT WAS FUN! Zach Wilson was entertaining, and he played well! The defense was flying around and making plays. The Jets won a football game. If yesterday was an indication of what is to come from Robert Saleh, Zach Wilson, and the rest of gang green I cannot wait to turn on the J-E-T-S every given Sunday. Zach Wilson showed the talent that made him the second overall pick and showed how Mike LaFleur can draw up plays to win games. Wilson wasn’t perfect, he even missed easy throws to put the game on ice in the 4 th quarter and overtime. If Wilson hits Corey Davis on a five yard out route with a little more than two minutes on the clock, Tennessee doesn’t touch the ball again, and the game doesn’t go to overtime, he still has a ton of room to grow to become consistent winning quarterback in this league. On the defensive side of the ball, I am floored by the performance through the first month of the season (and today in particular) of Quincy Williams. T...

   Glayber Torres came up with his biggest hit of the year last night against Texas. In a game the Yankees had to have, a sweep they had to complete to keep their postseason hopes alive. Gary Sanchez also hit one of his biggest home runs a few batters later after Torres and threw out the possible winning run in the top of the 8 th inning. Aaron Boone after the game pleased with his catchers performance “that was big for him to come in and contribute in a big way on both sides of the ball and being ready for it.” The bullpen continued to pitch well locking the door on a terrible Texas Rangers ball club. Aaron Boone said post game “we did some really good things on both sides of the ball the second half of the game and put some really good winning at-bats together at the end.” Corey Kluber was shaky again for the Yankees only lasting four and a third innings responsible for three earned runs on eight hits, and only striking out four. Wandy Peralta, Clay Holmes, Chad Green, and ...

 Starting week 3, the weekly picks are 19-15 overall, but the locks of the week picks are 4-5. This is a week where you should go outside and do something with your family because this week STINKS. Even so, here are the picks for week 3.  Locks for this week (locks in CAPS):  HOUSTON (+8) at home against Carolina on Thursday Night Football DETROIT (+8) at home against Baltimore  LAS VEGAS (-4) at home against Miami  GREEN BAY (+3.5) at San Francisco 

  Robert Saleh, Zach Wilson, and the rest of the Jets should take the tape from week two and light it on fire. When the flames extinguish themselves, gang green is 0-2… You are what your record says you are in this league, and right now, the Jets have played two games and haven’t shown up for most of either. Week One is understandable, a rookie head coach and a rookie quarterback are expected to look rough in their first real action. Zach Wilson looked like a rookie going against Bill Belechick’s stifling defense. Wilson threw four interceptions, two tipped (one of them flew through Corey Davis’ hands), and two that were clear rookie mistakes. The defense looked good again for the second consecutive game, unfortunately the offense didn’t show up to play.  For the second consecutive week the defense didn’t allow over 30 points, sacked the quarterback three times, and the offense outgained the Patriots on offense, Zach Wilson just didn’t show up to play until it was WAY too late...

 We're .500 after one week, so we need to get back into the green. All dog locks this week, enjoy that, but here are all the picks for Week 2 of the 2021 season.  Locks:  New York Giants (+3.5) @ Washington  Carolina (+3.5) at home against New Orleans  Cincinnati (+2.5) @ Chicago  Philadelphia (+3) at home against San Francisco  Jacksonville (+6) at home against Denver 

  The Jets are still a bad team. Zach Wilson looks like a rookie. Robert Saleh looked like he has only been a defensive coordinator in his NFL team. Mekhi Becton got hurt again. With all the money spent in the offseason, the Jets offense still has one weapon. Mike LaFleur didn’t do much to help his quarterback or his offense against a defense that finished middle of the road in both rushing (20 th ) and passing (18 th ) last year. However, a small step was taken yesterday. Zach Wilson did look like a rookie, but he made plays that Jets fans haven’t seen in their lifetime. He showed the talent that the Jets saw in him to draft him second overall. Wilson didn’t play great, but he played well enough. Well enough to give gang green and their fanbase hope for the future.  Corey Davis, Wilson’s only offensive weapon at the moment, played like a number one receiver—catching two touchdowns while finishing with 97 yards receiving. The defense showed signs at different parts of the game...

 Welcome to year seven of my NFL weekly picks. I pick every single game, some I "lock" in and like more, but I pick every single pick game on the NFL slate. After back to back down years, IT'S TIME FOR A BOUNCE BACK! Let's go!  Here are the Week 1 Picks. Use 'em or don't. Best of luck with your wagers either way! Cheers to football. 

A week away from a full slate of NFL Games let’s take a look at the six Over/Unders that I like the most based on the lines but out by DraftKings Sportsbook. After going .500 in my futures last year, I am primed to have a bounce back season and win some money. I don’t love the board, but these are the best of best in the order that I like them, so let’s get into it: Washington Football Team-8.5 O (-120)/U (+100): OVER Personally, I don’t enjoy trusting my money in the hands of Ryan Fitzpatrick, but the rest of the skills players on offense, how incredible the defensive line is, and the coaching ability of Ron Rivera I trust that team will win the NFC East for a second straight year. This division is going to be awful again , and Ryan Fitzpatrick can turn the clock back to 2015 with the wide receiving core that he has he can have another special year playing himself into another contract. However, this over pick is all about the defense. Chase Young is an absolute monster leading to wha...